Many students and faculty members are urging people at the University of Massachusetts to get out tomorrow and cast their ballots in this year’s elections.
Those planning on voting in Amherst will have to head out to one of the many polling locations across town. Amherst is divided into 10 precincts, with eight polling stations available for use depending on the precinct. To find one’s precinct and voting center, one can visit www.wheredoivotema.com, a subsection of Massachusetts’ Secretary of State William Galvin’s website.
All voting centers will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Election Day, as required by state law.
The Student Government Association will be providing buses to and from the locations for those in need of a ride. Buses will depart every 15 to 20 minutes from the Haigis Mall, beginning at 11 a.m. and continuing until 7 p.m., according to an SGA Facebook event page.
SGA volunteers will also be present at Haigis Mall to instruct students on where to vote depending upon their on-campus living arrangements. The buses will stop at all of the voting locations.
Students who live in the Southwest Residential Area will vote at the Bangs Community Center, while those who reside in the Northeast Residential Area, the North Apartments or the Sylvan Residential Area will vote at the Immanuel Lutheran Church, according to the Facebook page.
For those in the Central Residential Area, save for Van Meter Hall, voting will take place at the Wildwood School. Those living in the Orchard Hill Residential Area or Van Meter Hall will need to cast their ballots at the North Fire Station.
A form of identification that includes both a student’s name and address is required in order to vote, according to the Facebook page. For students, a printed copy of their housing assignment notification from their SPIRE account is a viable form of identification. Other viable forms of ID include utility bills, government-issued checks, a paycheck or paystub, or any other official document that shows the voter’s name and current registered address.
Those who are unable to provide identification upon arrival will have their ballot cast as a provisional ballot, and their vote will only be counted upon verification of registration.
Voters are allowed to bring personal notes into the polling place to aid in voting. But the notes can’t be shared with other voters at the polling place and they must not be left in the polling place after voting.
Students who require additional aid in voting, such as those with disabilities, are legally allowed to have someone assist them with actions such as checking in and out of the polling place, entering and leaving the booth, and preparing the ballot.
SGA Speaker of the Senate Hayley Mandeville reminded students to “research the issues and the candidates” and “go out, use your voice and vote.”
Mitchell Scuzzarella can be reached at [email protected].
