Tomorrow is Election Day

Dear UNCSA Community,

Tomorrow is Election Day. If you haven’t already, please find time to vote.

With the endless ads on TV, texts on your phones, emails in your inboxes, and flyers clogging your mailboxes, it may be tempting to tune it all out. But it is critical that you exercise your right to cast your ballot and there are many reasons why, such as:

• Our democracy depends on it. Not everyone in the world has the opportunity or ability to vote in a free and democratic election where they determine who will represent them in a legislative body. This means that you will determine who speaks for you on important social, cultural and economic issues. As the late civil rights icon and U.S. Rep. John Lewis said, “The vote is precious. It is almost sacred. It is the most powerful nonviolent tool we have in a democracy.”

• Every vote counts. It may not seem so, but even though millions of Americans vote in presidential elections, the winner can be decided by a small number of votes – less than the attendance for a single game of the World Series or a Taylor Swift concert. According to a report by the Federal Election Commission, the most closely decided presidential election in recent memory was the 2000 presidential election between George W. Bush and Al Gore. While more than 100 million voters cast ballots, the election was so close that it came down to a margin of just 537 votes in Florida.

• Change the narrative. According to the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy at the University of Virginia, voter turnout among young Americans has lagged behind other generations since 18-year-olds earned the right to vote with the passage of the 26th amendment in 1971. You have the power to change that! And we are doing our part by making sure you know all the ways you can vote and offering shuttles to the polls. For more information, see our UNCSA Votes webpage. One important note: You do not need a voter registration card to vote. You do need a photo ID, and you can use your UNCSA One Card as your photo ID. (You may also vote with an ID Exception Form and a provisional ballot.)

• Make an impact in your local community. Educating yourself about and voting “down-ballot” for state and local candidates and issues is a way to make a direct impact on the issues that literally fall closest to home. You can download a sample ballot for your area ahead of time so you can be prepared when you enter the booth.

If you have any questions about voting, please visit our UNCSA Votes webpage for detailed information. Remember, if you have not voted early, or voted by absentee ballot, you must vote tomorrow at your assigned polling place. Polls are open Tuesday from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. in Forsyth County.

Sincerely,

Brian Cole 
Chancellor

November 04, 2024