Morgan Jennings
Contributing Writer
Let’s cut to the chase: voting as a college student in the state of Tennessee can be difficult. As in many other states, particularly in the South-Eastern United States, there are many varying barriers to voting that college students must consider when it comes to casting their ballot in the upcoming federal election.
What are these barriers?
In order to vote in the state of Tennessee by Nov. 5, 2024, a qualified voter must be properly registered no later than thirty (30) days before the election. This year, that deadline is Monday, October 7. In Tennessee, a “qualified voter” must be a permanent resident of Tennessee. To be considered a permanent resident in Tennessee, one must have a valid Tennessee driver’s license with their permanent Tennessee address on it. Additionally, as qualification to vote specifically pertains to students, “no person gains or loses residency solely by presence in or absence from the state while employed in the service of the United States or this state, or while a student at an institution of higher learning, or while kept in an institution at public expense.”1 So what does this actually mean? For Sewanee students, only a fraction of our students’ permanent addresses are in the state of Tennessee. However, this still does not make them eligible to vote in Franklin County, Tenn. One might ask, “Why can I not register for permanent residency in Sewanee and therefore qualify to register to vote here?” The biggest hurdle is of course that 735 University Avenue is not a permanent residential address, and students cannot change their residency to Sewanee without a permanent residential address.
What this means for Tennessee voters
For most of our student population, this is the first election they will be participating in since becoming eligible to vote–i.e., turning 18. First-time voters often cast their first ballot during a presidential election. Additionally, presidential elections often have the highest voter-turnout, compared to non-federal elections.2 For the majority of our student population, it is likely that this will be their first time voting. If a student is registered to vote in Tennessee and are planning to vote for the first time, they will be required to cast the ballot in person and will not be eligible to apply for an absentee ballot.3 This means for students with permanent residency in Tennessee, registered to vote in Tennessee, and voting for the first time, could be planning to drive up to 4.5-5 hours one way (Memphis or Bristol) just to vote at their local precinct in Tennessee.
What about non-Tennessee residents?
A good portion of our student population will not be casting ballots in the state of Tennessee, as they are not permanent residents. Therefore, many of them will be applying for absentee ballots, which has its own deadlines separate from registering to vote. Some states will allow you to apply for your absentee ballot online, but many will only accept it by mail or in person. Additionally, some students have already reported getting absentee ballot requests denied and having to go home to vote. Some may be choosing to vote in person because they have missed the absentee ballot request deadlines, or it’s the way they’ve decided they can most confidently vote before or on Election Day. If a person comes from a state like Tennessee, they may be required to cast their ballot in person if it is their first time voting, and for many students, it will be. Additionally, let’s say a student has been planning to vote early if they go home during fall break to their permanent residence if they have been registered to vote using that address, they really only have one-two days to early vote in person given voting precincts are open Monday through Friday during typical business hours (8 a.m.-4 p.m.).
The truth is, due to these barriers, our students are faced with a nearly impossible choice in order to cast their ballots by November 5. That choice is deciding between missing class to drive home to vote in person or not voting at all for fear of missing crucial course work and having an absence against them in their classes.
Sewanee Votes
Knowing that there are so many specifications that students have to consider in order to cast their votes this election season, we as an institution of higher learning have an obligation to provide resources to our students to help them come up with a voting plan that best suits their needs given where they are registered to vote. As stated in the “Dear Colleague” letter written by Nasser H. Paydar, Assistant Secretary of the Office of Postsecondary Education, issued in February of this year, “Postsecondary institutions play a critical role in supporting our democratic process and ensuring that all students have access to resources to engage in our electoral process.” The University of the South lives into this commitment. One of the ways in which we do so is through the initiative Sewanee Votes, a non-partisan program housed under the Office of Civic Engagement which provides resources for registering to vote, applying for an absentee ballot, and helping students navigate how they as individuals can exercise their right to vote. Additionally, Sewanee Votes has hosted a number of events (Dessert and Democracy, DebateWatch, and Constitution Day) to foster a campus culture of civic dialogue and action and to better understand our role of an institution of higher learning’s role in activities like students becoming registered to vote and exercising civic agency.
Furthermore, earlier this year, Vice Chancellor Rob Pearigen joined the College Presidents for Civic Preparedness consortium, stating our university’s moral commitment to this work: “In and outside the classroom, the free and open and honest exchange of ideas is imperative. Our students, and we in the faculty, administration, and staff, must seize upon this time to promote freedom of thought and expression, to embrace challenges to our assumptions, and to be exemplars of civil discourse, even with views we doubt or oppose.”4
Important Dates and Upcoming Events
Monday, October 7 – Sewanee Votes tabling: duPont Library, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Dinner and Dialogue 1: “How do we live into EQB during this Election season?” – 5:30-7:00
Tuesday, October 8 – Sewanee Votes tabling: duPont Library, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
How the F*** Do I Vote Absentee? w/ Peer Health, 4-6 pm
Wednesday, October 9 – Sewanee Votes tabling: Stirling’s, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Thursday, October 10 – Sewanee Votes tabling: duPont Library, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Friday, October 11 – Sewanee Votes tabling: Stirling’s, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Tuesday, November 5 – Election Night Watch Party (time and location TBA)
Politics-Free Bonfire at the Community Engagement house
Tuesday, November 12 – Dinner & Dialogue 2: “How to Have Difficult Conversations at the Thanksgiving Table”
If you are still needing to register to vote or apply for your absentee ballot, please visit https://sewanee.turbovote.org. To know your state’s deadlines for registering and mail-in voting, please visit https://www.headcount.org/state. For any questions about Sewanee Votes, please email sewaneevotes@sewanee.edu.
- https://sos.tn.gov/elections/guides/guidelines-for-determining-residency
- https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2023/07/12/voter-turnout-2018-2022/
- https://sos.tn.gov/elections/faqs