Where and how college students can vote
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The 2024 general election is just one month away, and happens to come in the middle of the fall term for college students.
Why it matters: Young voters in the U.S. represent one of the largest groups of undecided and persuadable blocs in the upcoming coin-toss presidential race, and a large share say they're nervous about the election.
- And as voter registration deadlines loom, fewer young people have registered in most states this year than they did in the 2020 election, per data as of Sept. 3 from the Tufts Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement.
Where do college students vote
While students attending college may live in more than one place throughout the year, they can only cast a ballot in one.
- As such, college students must decide whether they want to register to vote in their hometown or where they go to school, depending on state residency requirements.
- Some states allow voters to ask for an absentee or mail ballot if they're unable to vote in person (or would just prefer to vote by mail).
Does where a student registers to vote affect financial aid?
Where a student registers to vote will not affect federal financial aid, including FAFSA, Pell Grants, Perkins, or Stafford loans, according to Vote.gov.
- But it may affect whether a student qualifies for in-state tuition.
How to vote when away at college
If you're away at school, you may have the option to vote in your hometown with a mail-in ballot sent to your college address.
- To do this, you can register to vote using your permanent address while inputting your college address as your mailing address.
How to vote if you go to college out of state
If you go to college in a state different from your home state, you can register to vote there.
- Register using the street address where you live, whether it's on or off campus. It's recommended you don't use a campus mailbox address to register, per Vote.gov.
- You can, however, use a campus mailbox as your mailing address. If you're not sure what address to use, check with your local election office or your school's civic engagement office.
- Some states require you to live there for a certain number of days before you can register to vote there. Check the residency requirements for voting in your college state here.
Do I have to cancel my old voter registration?
If you're already registered to vote in your home state and want to change your registration to your college state, you typically don't have to cancel your initial voter registration after you move — though you can.
- Many state and local election offices have a form to cancel your registration. Find yours here.
How college students vote when studying abroad
College students who are temporarily living outside the U.S. during the election can request a ballot to be mailed overseas.
- You can register to vote and request your absentee ballot with the Federal Post Card Application.
- The U.S. state or territory where you are registering to vote is likely your legal residence, according to the Federal Voting Assistance Program.
For the general election, you should receive your ballot by early October and its recommended you fill it out and send it back immediately.
- If you're outside the U.S., the recommended date to send your ballot in by is Oct. 21.
- You can check the deadline for your ballot based on the state you're registered in here.
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