The next general election in Harrisonburg, VA is coming up this November, 8th! As citizens of the United States, individuals are given the ability to vote for people that represent their ideals and needs in society.
Although we are lucky to have this power, there is a damanging misconception individuals have about our democracy, that their vote “doesn’t matter” or won’t change anything. This has become very damaging and works against our system in trying to create equal opportunities for everyone. Additionally,
“To this day, women who are people of color, transgender, incarcerated or formerly incarcerated, or have disabilities continue to face barriers to voting, along with other marginalized groups”
Another issue that many women in education face are voting restrictions based on location. Research indicates that women are “disproportionately affected by these restrictions, as the majority of students enrolled in higher education are women”.
I personally faced this issue when I was registering to vote as I am from Maryland but I am located in Virginia for school. Multiple states don’t allow students to use their student IDs to vote in the state they reside in and are “increasing other obstacles for students, such as requiring them to prove their domicile or closing polling places on college campuses”.
Voting resources
To address this issue, The League of Women Voters Education Fund has created a program, VOTE411 to provide information such as local polling locations, ballot information, as well as how to register.
“VOTE411 is committed to ensuring voters have the information they need to successfully participate in every election. Whether it’s local, state or federal, every election is important to ensuring our laws and policies reflect the values and beliefs of our communities”
This election information as well as additional resources such as a voting plan provides all the necessary tools in a simple format, encouraging individuals to participate in the election.
More resources such as personalized voting information can be found by just entering your address. It is important to spread resources such as these to encourage individuals to implement and advocate for areas in our society that lack policies, resources, or support.
ShoutOut! James Madison University 
Good Post!! Voting is sooo important….now more than EVER!! We are the voice of the future and should not be silenced of our ideas. Thank you for providing voting resources!
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