Voting Information
In this issue: Deacs Decide: Supporting You and Your Deacon This Election Season
Today I am sharing important information on voting, courtesy of Deacs Decide
Deacs Decide is Wake Forest’s non-partisan political and electoral engagement project. Housed within the Office of Civic & Community Engagement, our mission is to:
- increase student voter registration and turnout
- raise awareness about issues at stake in elections
- enhance students’ ability to engage in constructive and critical discussions
- build an understanding of democracy and how democratic institutions function
- improve students’ capacity to distinguish between reliable and unreliable political information.
Voter Registration
The first step toward voting is registering. Your student can decide where to cast their ballot. If your student is receiving home state higher education aid, they should visit the Financial Aid Website to see how registering in North Carolina might affect their aid package.
Wake Forest University is divided into two voting precincts based on residence halls, meaning all students must re-register to vote each year.
There are plenty of opportunities to register in North Carolina before the October 11 deadline. Encourage your student to stop by Tribble Courtyard on Tuesday, September 17 between 12-6 PM, for National Voter Registration Day. We’ll have staff on hand to help with voter registration in North Carolina, learn more about voting in their home state, and learn how they can get involved.
Students who need additional help with their voter registration form, can stop by the Office of Civic & Community Engagement (Benson 506) during business hours, or stop by Deacs Decide events for further assistance.
Making a Plan
First-time and seasoned voters all need a plan before casting their ballot. Wake Forest University is happy to provide TurboVote – a digital tool that powers greater voter access and expands participation in elections – to its students.
- Check your Voter Registration
- Get Election Reminders
- Get more information on how students can Vote by Mail in NC or their home state
- See what’s on the ballot
- Make a day-of plan with you, or their friends, to cast their ballot!
Casting a Ballot
Students have several options for voting in the 2024 election cycle:
- One-Stop Early Voting: Starting October 17, 2024, One-Stop Early Voting will be available in North Carolina, continuing daily until Saturday, November 2, at 3:00 p.m. ET. During this period, students can register and vote at any early voting location in Forsyth County. The closest location is the Polo Park Community Center.
- Absentee Voting: If your student chooses to vote in their home state, they must be registered there and request an absentee ballot. Absentee ballot regulations vary by state, so students should contact their local board of elections for specific processes and deadlines. It’s important to request ballots as early as possible, and return them to their Board of Elections prior to the submission deadline
- Please note that students voting by mail in North Carolina are now required to include a photocopy of an acceptable ID when returning their ballot. Students can get their DeaconOne Card or NC Driver’s License scanned at no cost at the Benson Copy Center (Benson 334) or Office of Civic & Community Engagement (Benson 506)
- Voting on Election Day: Election Day is Tuesday, November 5, 2024. Students must be registered to vote in North Carolina and go to their designated polling location to cast their ballot. Polling location assignments will be sent to students’ P.O. Boxes or provided by the Forsyth County Board of Elections. In North Carolina, a photo ID is required to vote in 2024. If a student is not a North Carolina resident, their DeaconOne Card can serve as their photo ID.
More information about the 2024 election will be shared soon. Detailed information will be available on our Voting in the 2024 Election page, however, we also encourage students to register for the Office of Civic & Community Engagement newsletter, for detailed voting information each week. For questions, please contact Deb Marke (marked@wfu.edu) or the Office of Community & Civic Engagement (communityengagement@wfu.edu).
Voting while Abroad
Our Global Programs and Studies staff are excited for all of our students that are currently studying abroad this Fall term! Even though students will be abroad, it is still possible to make their voices heard by voting with an overseas absentee ballot.
Included below are a few different organizations that can help students vote while abroad. Each of these organizations are nonpartisan and have helped US students vote while abroad for many election cycles. Some states have earlier deadlines than others so please check into registration and state deadlines sooner rather than later! The process should take no longer than 10 minutes to complete. Depending on the voter registration state, students can choose to receive their overseas absentee ballot by email, mail, or fax.
Students voting with an overseas absentee ballot will need to provide an address for where they are living while abroad to receive their Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) form. To make sure students properly format their overseas mailing address they should contact their program’s on-site team (both Wake programs and affiliates) or their WFU study abroad advisor. If you have any questions, please reach out to the voter helpdesk for assistance for each of the above sites or reach out to our office at studyabroad@wfu.edu.