The Choice is Yours
More than 150 million Americans will vote in the presidential election in 2024. Students face more barriers to voting than nearly any other population of voters. “The Choice is Yours” is an effort at George Mason University to help students register and vote in 2024. This is a joint project of the Schar School of Policy and Government, Mason’s office of Community Engagement and Civic Learning, University Life, Mason Votes, and the League of Women Voters of the Fairfax area.
In an ambitious effort for 100% voter participation at Mason, we recognize students face choices about where to vote (At home or locally?), how to vote (By mail? Early voting? on Election Day?), and which candidates to support. These choices are yours, and The Choice Is Yours campaign is here to help you navigate your options.
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FAQ – Students
What are the barriers to student voting?
Research shows that people are less likely to vote when they have recently moved, do not feel well connected to their community, have trouble meeting identification requirements, and do not know much about local candidates. These circumstances describe most college students, many of whom have a temporary and a permanent address.
Where are students allowed to vote?
Many students have two addresses–a campus (or near campus) address and a more permanent home address. Students have the right to choose which address to use for their voter registration. The address you use to register determines the candidates and questions on your ballot, since all elections are essentially local elections, even when federal candidates appear on the ballot. Importantly, students may not vote twice–you must choose one place to vote if you are eligible.
Am I a Virginia resident?
So long as you live in Virginia and receive mail at an address in Virginia, you are considered a Virginia resident for voting purposes. Review the rules of voting eligibility in Virginia.
I am already registered to vote at my campus address from last year. Do I need to re-register?
Yes. You must be registered to vote using the residential address where you currently live. If your mailing address has not changed but your dormitory address has changed, you still must re-register to vote. If you already registered to vote using your home or parents’ address, you must either vote there, vote absentee, or re-register to vote using a local address.
I am registered to vote in Virginia. What ID will I need to vote?
A Virginia driver’s license or a GMU student ID (physical or electronic) is a valid identification for voting. Review the complete list of accepted IDs. An out-of-state driver’s license is not acceptable for voting. The Commonwealth also has a voting guide for college students.
How can I check my Virginia voter registration?
If you have a Virginia driver’s license and a social security number, you can use the Virginia Citizen Portal to check your voter registration. To check your registration in another state go to vote411.org or vote.org.
I’m not sure if I should vote on campus or at home. How should I decide?
If you feel indifferent between voting at home (by absentee, early in-person, or going home on Election Day) and voting on campus, I recommend voting on campus if that’s an option for you. To do so, you need to register using your campus address (see instructions below). The reason I recommend this for students is because voting is an act of community. Typically, one person’s vote will not determine the outcome of an election. So the reason you vote is to be a part of something larger than yourself, something important. We vote to help our community. As a college student, George Mason University is your community.
Students will generally find more satisfaction in casting a ballot, in-person, in a place and time where others are doing it too, compared to the solitary experience of completing an absentee ballot and mailing it in. Make voting fun; do it with friends. This is how we develop the essential skills of citizenship.
If you feel more connected to what’s on your ballot at home, there’s no shame in using the absentee system. There is no wrong place to cast a legal ballot. The most important thing is to choose the jurisdiction that makes sense for you and vote.
I want to register to vote in Virginia, but I do not have a driver’s license. What do I do?
You should register to vote using a paper application. In addition to printing it from that link, you can get a paper voter registration application:
- In the Schar School offices at 336 Aquia Hall
- A campus event where Mason Voting Ambassadors work with the League of Women Voters to register students. Look for the purple LWV shirts, or MasonVotes, or Democracy Lab. Upcoming events include:
- 9/11 Day of Service, Sept. 11, 10am – 3pm, Dewberry Hall
- Disability Voter Registration Week, Sept. 12, 11am – 2pm, Wilkins Plaza/Southside
- National Voter Registration Day, Sept. 17, 10am – 2pm, Wilkins Plaza
- CECiL Service Fair, Sept. 25, 11am – 2pm
How do I submit my completed voter registration form?
If you complete a voter registration form at a campus event supported by the League of Women Voters, they will submit your form to the state for you. If you complete your form outside of one of these events, you can return it to one of the following secure campus locations. Be sure to get a receipt from the person who takes your form.
- Aquia Hall 336, 9am – 4pm, site accepting forms NOW
- JC 228, 9am – 4:30pm, site accepting forms by Tuesday 9/17
- Piedmont Residential Desk, sie accepting forms
- Eisenhower Residential Desk, site accepting forms
Where can I find screenshots of how to register using a paper form?
We’ve got you: HOWTO Register to vote PAPER
This is a link to a blank paper registration form.
What’s on my ballot?
To check which candidates and questions will appear on your ballot, go to vote411.org or ballotpedia.org. These resources may not have updated information until September or October, when ballot races are finalized.
I registered to vote using my campus address. Where is my polling place?
Mason has its own polling place in Merten Hall. If you registered to vote using a campus address, Merten Hall is your polling place and you can vote there on Election Day, Tuesday, November 5, from 6am to 7pm.
I’m 17 but will turn 18 before Election Day. Can I register now?
Yes. If you will be 18 and eligible to vote on Election Day, you can register to vote before your 18th birthday and vote on Election Day.
When is the voter registration deadline?
The last day to register to vote for the November 5 general election is October 15, 2024. If you want to update your registration or register for the first time, you should do it before this date. However, Virginia also has “same-day voter registration,” meaning you can register to vote on Election Day at your local polling place. If you do this, you will submit a provisional ballot, which means your eligibility will be verified before your vote is counted.
When is the election?
Election Day is Tuesday, November 5, 2024. For the first time, Election Day will be a student holiday this year–there are no classes held on Election Day. We encourage students to vote on Election Day and help others vote on Election Day. In Virginia, you have the option of voting early. Early in-person voting begins September 20 and ends November 2. These are the times and locations for early voting.
I want to vote at my home address, but I can’t get there.
You should vote by absentee ballot. If your home address is in Virginia, you can apply for an absentee ballot online. We strongly recommend you apply for your absentee ballot EARLY. Mail delays can invalidate your vote. The deadline to apply for an absentee ballot is October 25 (but don’t wait until then). If you want to vote by mail in another state, go to vote411.org or vote.org.
I want to help Mason students vote. How can I get involved?
We have TWO opportunities for people to support our coordinated efforts toward 100% student voting:
- Join a weekly Zoom call among Mason leaders to coordinate and co-promote activities. This is for students, faculty, and staff. Complete this interest form and wait for an email with a Zoom link to the weekly call, on Mondays at 9:30am.
- Express interest in becoming a Mason Student Voting Ambassador. Schar Learning Community students (current and former) are especially encouraged to apply. Complete this Voting Ambassador Interest Form and we’ll send you more information as the semester approaches.
I live on campus. What address do I use to register to vote?
For students living on campus, you must use your DORM ADDRESS as your residential address (see the table below) AND check the box to indicate that you receive mail at an address other than your dorm address. Your MAILING ADDRESS is where you receive packages (4450 Rivanna River Way, #xxxx, Fairfax, VA 22030). The address where you receive packages is not your residential address and cannot be used for voting.
Residence Halls and Corresponding Addresses:
You must also include your dorm number in your street address.
- Example: A student lives in dorm 1234 in Adams Hall
- Their address would be: 10456 Presidents Park Drive, Unit 1234, Fairfax, Virginia 22030
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Building Name Building Street Address City, State, Zip Adams Hall 10456 Presidents Park Drive Fairfax, Virginia 22030 Amherst Hall 10412 Rivanna River Way Fairfax, Virginia 22030 Brunswick Hall 10412 Rivanna River Way Fairfax, Virginia 22030 Carroll Hall 10422 Rivanna River Way Fairfax, Virginia 22030 Commonwealth Hall 10408 Rivanna River Way Fairfax, Virginia 22030 Dickenson Hall 10422 Rivanna River Way Fairfax, Virginia 22030 Dominion Hall 10410 Rivanna River Way Fairfax, Virginia 22030 Essex Hall 10422 Rivanna River Way Fairfax, Virginia 22030 Franklin Hall 10416 Rivanna River Way Fairfax, Virginia 22030 Grayson Hall 10416 Rivanna River Way Fairfax, Virginia 22030 Harrison Hall 10459 Presidents Park Drive Fairfax, Virginia 22030 Jackson Hall 10453 Presidents Park Drive Fairfax, Virginia 22030 Jefferson Hall 10460 Presidents Park Drive Fairfax, Virginia 22030 Kennedy Hall 10455 Presidents Park Drive Fairfax, Virginia 22030 Lincoln Hall 10450 Presidents Park Drive Fairfax, Virginia 22030 Madison Hall 10458 Presidents Park Drive Fairfax, Virginia 22030 Monroe Hall 10460 Presidents Park Drive Fairfax, Virginia 22030 Roosevelt Hall 10449 Presidents Park Drive Fairfax, Virginia 22030 Taylor Hall 10444 Presidents Park Drive Fairfax, Virginia 22030 Truman Hall 10457 Presidents Park Drive Fairfax, Virginia 22030 Washington Hall 10458 Presidents Park Drive Fairfax, Virginia 22030 Wilson Hall 10459 Presidents Park Drive Fairfax, Virginia 22030 Angel Cabrera Global Center 4352 Mason Pond Drive Fairfax, Virginia 22030 Blue Ridge Hall 4343A Chesapeake River Way Fairfax, Virginia 22030 Eastern Shore Hall 4403 Patriot Circle Fairfax, Virginia 22030 Hampton Roads Hall 4401 Patriot Circle Fairfax, Virginia 22030 Liberty Square 10440 Presidents Park Drive Fairfax, Virginia 22030 Northern Neck Hall 4335 Chesapeake River Way Fairfax, Virginia 22030 Piedmont Hall 4349A Chesapeake River Way Fairfax, Virginia 22030 Potomac Heights 10350 York River Road Fairfax, Virginia 22030 Rogers Hall 4400 Aquia Creek Lane Fairfax, Virginia 22030 Sandbridge Hall 4343B Chesapeake River Way Fairfax, Virginia 22030 Tidewater Hall 4349B Chesapeake River Way Fairfax, Virginia 22030 University Townhouse A 4262 Chain Bridge Rd Fairfax, Virginia 22030 University Townhouse B 4264 Chain Bridge Rd Fairfax, Virginia 22030 University Townhouse C 4266 Chain Bridge Rd Fairfax, Virginia 22030 University Townhouses 4260 Chain Bridge Rd Fairfax, Virginia 22030 Whitetop Hall 4402 Aquia Creek Lane Fairfax, Virginia 22030
Ensure your by-mail application is postmarked by the application deadline, October 15th. You may mail your application from The Hub Student Center, located behind Southside Dining Hall.
Where can I find screenshots of how to register to vote online?
We’ve got you: HOWTO Register to vote online
Instructor Resources
How do I get Voting Ambassadors to visit my classroom?
Please complete this form and we’ll contact you to arrange a 5-minute non-partisan presentation about voting (why, where, how to register, etc.) from student Voting Ambassadors.
Where can I find an infographic to project in my classroom?
We got you. Classroom Voting Guide 2024
Where can I get talking points for discussing student voting in the classroom?
Here is a Voting Talking Points memo you can use. We also recommend using resources on this page, at Mason Votes, vote.org, vote411.org, and Ballotpedia.
Links
Vote411.org – general information about registering and voting
Information about becoming an election officer in Fairfax City
Information about becoming an election officer in Fairfax County
Information about registering to vote in Virginia
Information about applying for an absentee ballot in Virginia
Check your voter registration in Virginia
Information about becoming an election officer anywhere in Virginia
Work Elections – Information about becoming an election officer anywhere
STATEMENT OF NON-PARTISANSHIP: This is a non-partisan activity centered around the promotion of elections and voting. “The Choice is Yours” aims to increase voter turnout, assist voters in the voting process, and assist election administrators in running elections. “The Choice is Yours” does not support any party or candidate and will take no actions to advocate for any party or candidate.