Some Students On Campus Report Not Receiving Absentee Ballots, Fear Potential Voter Suppression
Emily Sawaked ’24
Photo courtesy of Jason Redmon via Getty Images
As the state of the nation is being called into question, everyone is eagerly watching the polls as the final ballots are counted. The election is nearly at its climax, and among those feeling anxious are college students whose issues reside in their overdue absentee ballots, or complete lack thereof in some instances.
With Americans’ decisions placed into postmarked envelopes as a result of the pandemic and the election keeping everyone at the edge of their seats, students at Sarah Lawrence are taking active roles in politics, whether by voting, speaking out on social media, or working the polls.
For those living on campus, participating in national politics is a vital yet often inconvenient process. And given that Sarah Lawrence students care to involve themselves in their home politics, requesting an absentee ballot is a process that is both exhilarating and harrowing, though those working at the post office on campus are doing all they can to aid. Deby Finkelstein, Senior Director of Auxiliary Services, explains that, as students remain proactive in voting, they, too, are doing all they can to assist.
“For example, some states require postage from the sender when returning a mail-in ballot and others do not, so we have helped students who have been unsure about postage and looked over their ballot envelope with them to ensure it meets a certain state’s requirements as well as those of the USPS,” said Finkelstein.
Ilaria D’Andrea ’24, registered to vote in Rhode Island, is passionate about her rights as a gay woman, and so this year’s election, after the swearing in of Amy Coney-Barrett to the Supreme Court, is one which could severely affect D’Andrea’s rights and livelihood, given Coney-Barrett’s opposition to the LGBTQ+ community and gay marriage.
D’Andrea requested her mail-in ballot in August. It was supposed to arrive around October 10; instead, it came in around October 27 –– only one week before Election Day, due to some issues with the postal service in her home state. It is unclear whether the problem also rested with the state government.
“I was extremely nervous,” said D’Andrea. “Democracy is important, and I was upset that my chance to participate was tampered with.”
But D’Andrea was not the only one to deal with her ballot arriving late. Gracie Shanklin ’24, originally a voter in Ohio, also reported receiving her ballot on October 27. She placed her request on October 3, and though it was only supposed to take a week to arrive, it took 24 days.
Ohio is a swing state, and while the major cities, Cincinnati, Columbus, and Cleveland, more often than not vote democratic, every other town tends to go red. So back in 2016, Ohio went red.
“It doesn’t take long to mail things from Ohio and back, so I just find it so strange that it took almost a month to get to me,” Shanklin said. “It’s definitely a little suspicious.”
For Julia Lowe ’24, who votes in North Carolina, another swing state, this election is particularly disheartening. Unlike most students on campus, Lowe did not receive their ballot at all, despite reaching out to their state government. They believe that this is a form of voter suppression, a concern that became prevalent over the course of the election season, with incidents like fake ballot boxes, disinformation, intimidation at polling places, police suppression of peaceful marches, and long lines to cast votes in person.
Lowe suspects they did not get their ballot due to their political affiliation, as well as their history of protest.
“Even though it’s out of my control, not voting feels hypocritical. I’ve been posting so much about voting on my Instagram story, and now I’m not even going to be able to do it. Basically it’s really disheartening,” Lowe said.
Even the most democratic leaning states have been facing issues with their ballots. Kathryn Litonjua ’24 is a New York resident who requested her absentee ballot, much like D’Andrea, back in August.
“It was significantly into the semester that the notice saying my request was denied arrived at my parents’ house,” said Litonjua. This is likely due to the fact that requests for mail-in ballots placed prior to August 20 were considered invalid, as New York Governor Andrew Cuomo had yet to sign the executive order allowing for COVID-19 voting accommodations.
Calvin Mumm ’24, originally a Utah resident, received his ballot October 24, despite having communicated to his government as early as August. In fact, his Salt Lake county government, which he explained was more left leaning, had their request to send mail-in ballots early denied by the Utah state government, so his ballot was not put in the mail until around October 12.
Cases like these, as Lowe expressed, make students feel as though their voice doesn’t matter, and consequently, many become discouraged from voting. Still, in spite of everything, Mumm urges students to feel otherwise. He said that while most students feel as though they are not doing enough, the nation’s current system is one that has been biased and corrupt for many years.
“Do what you can, when you can,” said Mumm. “We can't take it apart overnight, and this election won't be the end of it no matter what outcome there is. Just keep looking forward, one day at a time.”