Fordham Lincoln Center students sent mail-in ballots back to their home states to vote in the presidential election and local races.
Voters requested 67 million absentee ballots ahead of this year’s election according to the New York Times, accounting for a third of registered voters.
The dates to register for mail-in ballots, the deadlines by which they must be sent and the requirements for voters to be eligible to vote by mail vary from state-to-state.
In some states, including New York, all eligible voters can request an absentee ballot without requiring a specific reason why they cannot vote on election day. Connecticut and other states stipulate that voters meet requirements to receive an absentee ballot. Some of these specifications include physical disabilities, military status or absence on election day.
Nicole Knowles, FCLC ’28, was worried about the status of her ballot. As a first-time voter from New Hampshire, Knowles wanted to ensure that her ballot was received and counted, but was worried that there would be complications in transit.
“On social media you see people, especially from farther away states, that something happens and their ballot gets lost in the mail or it doesn’t get back in time,” Knowles said.
Students such as Elise Jackson, FCLC ’27, never received their mail-in ballot. Jackson is registered to vote in Texas and her request to vote by mail was approved on Oct. 17, but was canceled because of an issue. While she reissued her request a week prior to election day, her ballot did not arrive at her on-campus address.
“I have called many times, and they say it has been sent, but I have gotten no ballot,” Jackson said.
For Jackson, approval for a mail-in ballot was an uphill battle.
“Texas is very strict with mail-ins. Specifically for students, you really need to either be in the hospital or active military to be guaranteed a ballot, and so I was very surprised whenever I was granted a ballot even though I am not one of those things,” Jackson said.
Most states required mail-in ballots to be due on Nov. 5 for the vote to be counted.
