By Kaitlyn Fairbanks and Nicole Young
This year’s election has been looming over everyone’s head. With this being many Agnes Scott’s students’ first presidential election, it can be overwhelming to see all of the information being passed around. In order to make the process easier, we had a quick chat with Blayne McDonald, the head of Civic Engagement within the Center for Leadership, Engagement, and Service (CLES).
GETTING REGISTERED
The first thing any voter has to do is get registered, but even that can be a challenging process, especially as college students. Many groups advocate for citizens to get registered, but very few provide the resources to actually do so.
One of the things McDonald specifically wants to make Agnes Scott students aware of was the fact that Agnes Scott cannot be claimed as your residence when registering to vote. Since Agnes Scott is a private institution, student IDs are not considered valid proof of Georgia residency. Instead, Agnes Scott voters will have to provide a valid Georgia ID (such as a passport, driver’s license, or state ID card), or they will need to register in their legal state of residence.
If you are eligible to register to vote in Georgia, then you can do so online or in person until October 7.
If you are not a legal resident of Georgia, then you will need to register to vote in your home state. This can be done through Agnes Scott’s TurboVote page. The CLES can also help you request a mail-in absentee ballot if needed.
GETTING OUT TO THE POLLS
Another concern people have had regarding the election was confusion on how to get to polling locations, or even where they are.
Agnes Scott College will be providing transportation to various polling locations for DeKalb County District 7, which is the voting district that Agnes Scott is situated in. The closest polling location is at the DeKalb County Voter Registration Office on Memorial Drive. The Scottie Vote Coalition and SGA will be providing Uber vouchers to Emory University for Early Voting. The Scottie Shuttle will be providing transportation to multiple early voting locations, which is encouraged by Blayne McDonald to make sure your vote gets counted, as well as on Election Day.
MARTA has also provided a list of routes that will take you to early voting locations. Read the list here.
VOTER SUPPRESSION CONCERNS
Voter suppression has also been an enormous problem for voters. Georgia voters, in particular, have been subject to a number of voter suppression laws. One of the most notorious of these bills is Senate Bill 202, which bans the act of providing water or food to voters waiting in line and requires absentee ballots to be sent in at least eleven days prior to the election.1 Additionally, there is Senate Bill 189, which allows votes to be challenged en masse,2 as well as a hand-count law that was passed on September 20 of this year, which could call the validity of a ballot count into question, in addition to arbitrarily drawing out the process.3
Despite this, McDonald still feels optimistic about voter turnout, especially among Agnes Scott students, stating “Scotties are so involved, and know how important it is [that they vote].” While the various barriers might be a deterrent, she doubts it will actually have a major impact on how many people make it to the polls. McDonald also mentioned that Agnes Scott are reliable voters, with the college boasting a 93% voter registration rate as of the last Agnes Scott College NSLVE Report done in 2022, as well as a number of Civic Engagement Awards. While the actual voting rate was only 54%, McDonald clarified that this rate was still incredibly high, sitting at only 13% lower than the highest voting rate in the country, but that it could be improved. In order to get this rate higher, McDonald encourages students to “get everyone you know out to vote.”
ADVICE
McDonald also placed special emphasis on being intentional about your vote.
“Every election impacts you”, McDonald said, reminding students to be aware of the power their vote, or lack thereof, could have on the state of the nation. Regardless of the scope of the election, whether it be a presidential election or a local one, the results will eventually come back to you and your daily life.
This election in particular could have the potential to decide two Supreme Court Justices, which could go on to shape federal law for the next several decades. “This election is not just a vote”, McDonald stressed, “it will determine the next fifty years or more.”
McDonald encourages Scotties to be mindful of what motivates them, especially those that maybe feel disillusioned with voting, saying “if you’re not passionate about voting, you need to find out what you…care about, then find out who’s on what side” to create a desire to vote instead of simply going without a vote at all.
Some Scotties also choose not to vote due to a distrust of the system. McDonald clarifies that this is not an unfounded belief, citing her own skepticism of the current state of voting in the US, but also said that “we’re… at a point where we’re testing our democracy… and to change anything, we have to participate.”
Many Scotties are also deeply concerned about the outcome of the election and how it could potentially impact their lives and wellbeing. After all, this is one of the most pivotal elections in decades.4 However, in spite of these concerns, McDonald was confident that “[Scotties] will still have one another, no matter the outcome.”
The CLES promises to do anything they can to help students cope with their frustrations and fears surrounding the election. Additionally, on November 8, there will be a group reflection, in partnership with the Wellness Center, to help facilitate communication between students and to give space for students to express their thoughts and feelings following the election.
RESOURCES
As we get closer to Election Day, the CLES has put together a number of resources to help Scotties navigate through the democratic process.
The CLES also maintains a Civic Engagement Toolkit, which is available to everyone and contains information about how to vote among other things, such as advocacy and canvassing.
The final day to register in Georgia is October 7. For other states, check here.
Early voting in Georgia opens on October 15 and runs until November 1. Here is a list of polling places that will be open for early voting in DeKalb County.
After that, your next and final opportunity to vote in Georgia will be November 5. Here is a list of DeKalb County polling places open on Election Day.
Don’t miss the opportunity to have your voice heard!
- Georgia Senate Bill 202. 2021. https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/legislation/document/20212022/201121 ↩︎
- Georgia Senate Bill 189. 2023. https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/legislation/document/20232024/229578 ↩︎
- Kaufman, Katrina, Alan He, and Allison Novelo. 2024. “Georgia State Election Board Votes in Favor of Hand Counting All Ballots, Spurring Fears about November Chaos.” Cbsnews.com. CBS News. September 20, 2024. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/georgia-2024-election-rules-vote/. ↩︎
- Swenson, Ali, and Linley Sanders. 2024. “AP Poll: Most Americans Say Democracy Is at Stake in 2024 Election.” AP News. AP News. August 8, 2024. https://apnews.com/article/election-2024-harris-trump-poll-9802e104ad29ff69e9e323ad46244ae3. ↩︎
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