Dear students,
Tomorrow, Nov. 3, is Election Day. For most of you, this could be the first time you are voting. How exciting! For those on the fence about voting, I want to assure you that it does matter. Your voice and your vote are essential to making our democracy work.
If you’ve already voted early or absentee, wonderful! If you’ve opted to vote in-person in Wisconsin and have not registered yet, you can still register at the polls tomorrow.
Here are some important things to remember when voting tomorrow:
- Verify your polling place.
Most campus and neighborhood residence polling places are listed on the Marquette Voter Information website, but if you’re not sure where you vote, you can always check the City of Milwaukee’s website. - If you do not have a Wisconsin driver’s license or ID, you will need a Marquette Voter ID Card.
You can get this from Union Station in the AMU.- You will also need to print a Voter ID Fee Statement from CheckMarq.
- NOTE: A Marquette Voter ID card is NOT the same as your MUID.
- You will also need a photo ID to vote.
Your Marquette Voter ID card is acceptable for this purpose. Other acceptable form of photo ID can be found on the FAQs page of the Marquette Voter Information website under “What are acceptable Voter IDs in Wisconsin.” - You may have a long wait in line – plan accordingly.
Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Wear a mask and keep a safe distance of six feet between yourself and others in line.- Because polling places are public spaces, the university has no control over wait times. This is contingent upon how many voters are at the polls at any given time.
- If you are in quarantine or isolation, you can still vote!
You can vote by proxy through an agent so that you don’t have to leave your quarantine space. Marquette has enlisted volunteers to assist with this. Please contact Jennifer Reid to make arrangements as soon as possible, and you will put in touch with an agent to help you through the process.
I know this is a stressful time and voting during a pandemic can contribute to other stresses you may already be experiencing right now. Know that there are resources available to help you. For mental health support, contact the Counseling Center at (414) 288-7172. The center offers counseling services as well as mindfulness sessions where students can unplug and de-stress.
I hope you will exercise your right to vote. No matter who you are voting for, participating in elections is a civic responsibility.
Lastly, Student Affairs has a number of civic engagement resources available on its website, so I encourage you to be engaged and Be The Difference.
We are Marquette.
Dr. Xavier Cole
Vice President for Student Affairs