Registration is the first step to voting, which many college students are doing for the first time this year.
Texas exhibits a lower voter turnout among 18 to 24 year-olds compared to the national average, with only 32 percent of this age group casting ballots, according to the Texas Politics Project. This contrasts with the national average of 36 percent.
Despite a state mandate requiring high schools to distribute voter registration forms to older teens, many students arrive at college without having registered to vote. With the myriad of new responsibilities they face, voting often does not top their list of priorities.
Taylor County Elections Administrator Freda Reagan knows students get busy. She says if they're already registered here but miss the deadline for a mail ballot-they can request a limited ballot at her office, “That will allow them to vote on any races that Taylor County has in common with their home county, which in this election it would be obviously President, U.S. Senate, so usually your statewide races and your federal races.”
Jagneris Penson, a graduate student at Abilene Christian University, navigated the registration process four years ago. Penson, who cast her first vote in the 2020 election shortly after turning 18, acknowledges the importance of voting even if she isn’t particularly excited about it, “My first ever election was the 2020 election, so I ended up registering here to vote in Taylor County,” she said. “Even though we are only in college, pretty soon we’re going to be joining the workforce and we’re gonna be real-life adults, not just young adults.”
College students in Texas have three options to participate in elections: they can register to vote in the county where they attend school, register in their home county and travel back to vote, or request a ballot by mail. Mail-in ballot applications must be received by the elections clerk in their home county by October 25.
To register locally, in-state students can complete and submit a form either by mail or in person. When voting, they must present one of seven acceptable forms of ID. Out-of-state students face a slightly more complex process; they need to provide the last four digits of their social security number and a document explaining why they do not have a Texas driver’s license.
Freda Ragan, Taylor County Elections Administrator, advocates for higher voter turnout. “The democratic process is you vote, you’re letting your voice be heard, and that’s how we elect people that represent us,” she said.
Joshua Hamm, a junior Biology major at ACU, is enthusiastic about voting for the first time but remains uncertain about where to vote or which candidate to support. “I don’t know if I will be voting for one of the two major candidates that’s running, but I just hope to represent my citizenship to the kingdom of heaven before I represent any political body,” Hamm stated.
Taylor County, with over 88,000 registered voters, saw a 66 percent turnout in the 2020 Presidential Election. If Abilene’s 10,000 college students choose to vote, their participation could significantly impact local election results.
Voter registration applications must be submitted or postmarked by October 7. Early voting begins on October 21.