Your vote matters

Perhaps the most important Senate race in the country is happening in Duke’s backyard. Incumbent Democrat Kay Hagan is locked in a tight battle with former Speaker of the North Carolina General Assembly Thom Tillis for a Senate seat, which could determine which party controls the Senate. The 2014 Midterm Elections will be pivotal in shaping the national political landscape for the rest of President Obama’s term in office. This year, your vote truly matters.

Our reputation, in fact our legacy, at this university is one of political action. From the 1969 takeover of the Allen Building to the protests of the Vietnam War, Duke students have a history of active engagement in the political sphere. The upcoming midterm elections are an opportunity to build upon this legacy.

There have been election initiatives for every recent major election on campus, but this year is different. There is no polling location on campus, registration to vote closes significantly earlier, and the absentee voting timeframe has been limited. Last year, the North Carolina legislature passed stringent voter identification and registration laws, which limit college students, minority, and low-income communities from voting. But people have been working hard to make it easier to register and vote.

Here’s how you can take action:

1. Go to studentvote.org and enter your information to fill out a registration form.
2. When filling out your address, all on-campus students (East, West, & Central) must use their PO Box number as their mailing address and their residence hall’s street address as the home address. Off-campus residents should use their physical address.
3. Finish inputting your information, print off your registration form, and sign the form.
4. Drop it into one of the DSG-sponsored voter registration boxes on campus or mail to the Durham County Board of Elections. The deadline to submit your form in the on-campus boxes is October 9th. October 10 is the final day to register with the Durham County Board of Elections.

North Carolina is our second home. When we mobilize — when we commit to making our voices heard — we can make a serious difference.

Tanner Lockhead, DSG Senator for Durham and Regional Affairs