On Nov. 6, the midterm elections in the United States will take place. With millennials making up over a quarter of the eligible voting population in 2016, students will have the opportunity to greatly influence the outcome.  

VOTER REGISTRATION IS IMPORTANT

Every citizen in the United States is required to register to vote in order to participate on Election Day. Different states have different deadlines to register, which means voters should start checking their state deadline. To register, individuals will need to have their driver’s license or an identification card number, the last four digits of their social security number and their date of birth. The last day to register to vote online or by mail in California is Monday.

The election ballot consists of various people running for office and a variety of propositions that have captured the attention of California’s voters. In these midterm elections, voters are allowed to vote for a new governor, elect a new senator into office or possibly vote a new mayor into their city.

Even political science majors on campus are excited for the upcoming midterms.

“Voter registration matters because it is the opportunity for us to exercise our right to make our country a better place, and act on our convictions,” said junior political science major Ian Spears. “Whether you are satisfied with the nation’s direction or not, you have the opportunity to as a Christ-follower [to] bring light and justice to our country in your vote.”

1500 PEOPLE WERE REGISTERED IN ERROR BY A SACRAMENTO DMV

While students are preparing to vote, some people may be surprised to learn they are already registered.

CBS affiliate KOVR-TV in Sacramento, California reported 1,500 people were registered to vote in error. This error had continuously occurred from April 23, 2018 to Sept. 25, of that same year. All 1,500 people registered in error were legal residents of the United States.

Following this error, California Secretary of State Anthony Padilla commented “I remain deeply frustrated and disappointed that persistent errors by the DMV and CDT have undermined public confidence.”  

These error registrations will be canceled by Padilla in the near future.

Biola students are encouraged to vote before the deadline if they want to participate in the midterm elections this year. They can find where the nearest polling booth is, in order to be prepared on election day. Students can also sign up to receive an absentee ballot by mail to vote in their local elections.