USC Voter Registration
By Sammie Yen
Election Day is right around the corner.
Hopefully, you’ve been keeping up with major events in the American political landscape and have understood how critical it is to exercise your right to vote. Kristy Plaza, the Manager of Communications and Media at the USC Dornsife Center for the Political Future, explains “voting is what allows people to speak up and advocate for themselves. By voting as a community, the collective voice speaks loudly to elected officials about their needs and wants. The voices of those who vote can’t and won’t be stifled.”
If you (like me) are a first-time voter, here are some dates and guidance to get you started.
September 17 is National Voter Registration Day.
VoteSC is a website made specifically for all Trojans who are learning how and where to vote. It helps you through voter registration, registration status, election reminders and other information that is valuable for USC voters.
For California residents, the date to register is October 21.
The most convenient location for USC students to vote is in the USC Village in UVN-1200.
If you’d like to cast your vote early, the Village voting center will be open from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. from November 2 to November 4.
On Election Day, November 5, the Village voting center will be open from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m..
Any registered voter can return their ballot by mail, too. One mail drop box will be located in the Village at 3301 South Hoover Street, and one mail drop box will be located near the Health Science Campus on 1618 San Pablo Street. Mail drop boxes will be locked at 8:00 p.m.
More information about general voting in Los Angeles county can be found here.
Remember, your vote is your voice, your opinion and your participation in a democratic process. You may feel apathetic to voting and that your vote doesn’t matter. But by engaging in the electoral process, you’re ensuring that your perspectives and interests matter.
As Plaza emphasizes, “Voting is not only a right but a right and a civic duty.”
