Dear Members of the Fordham Community,

Exercising your right to vote on Election Day is an important duty—too important to ignore or neglect. As Fordham people for others, we have a responsibility to be citizens engaged in the civic life of our local, state, and national communities. For those of you who have not yet registered to vote, let Fordham provide the start of your lifelong engagement.

If you are not registered to vote, you can register online at vote.org. You may also check your registration status, update your information if it has changed since your last registration, and request an absentee ballot if you are not going to be in your home state on Election Day. Note: If you need to update or correct your registration information (i.e., your name or address), simply fill out the voter registration form. To register to vote, you must

• be a United States citizen (either by birth or naturalization),
• meet your state’s residency requirements, and
• be at least 18 years old. Some states allow 17-year-olds to pre-register if they will be 18 before the general election; however, you must be 18 to vote.

Please know that if you plan on voting in this year’s general elections (non-presidential), which will be held on Tuesday, November 2, you must register to vote on or before the registration deadline of your home state. For example, if you are interested in voting for candidates running for office in New York state, the last day to postmark your application or to apply online is October 8. You may find each state’s registration deadline at vote.org’s voter registration deadline page.

Finally, it can be difficult to determine the positions of each candidate running for office. Please feel free to visit nonpartisan voter information sites such as votesmart.org, vote411.org, and isidewith.com for more information on candidates, including their biographies, voting records, positions on issues, and contributions to their campaigns.

Participating in the democratic process is a privilege and responsibility we all share. Please be sure to register and vote on Election Day, Tuesday, November 2.

Lesley A. Massiah-Arthur
Associate Vice President and Special Assistant to the President for Government Relations

Dear Members of the Fordham Community,

As citizens of the United States, we are justly proud of our nation’s democratic practices and we support the promotion of democracy elsewhere in the world. At the heart of the democratic sprit is the belief in self-determination, which means the right to vote is not just a civil right but an important human right. With rights, however, come responsibilities.

With Election Day approaching on November 3, we encourage you to be citizens engaged in the civic life of our local, state, and national communities.

Early Voting

Sometimes, personal or professional conflicts make it hard or impossible for you to vote on Election Day. However, your state may let registered voters vote on specified dates before Election Day. This early voting chart lists time frames for states that offer early voting. Please note that the rules change from state to state. The best place to check is your state or territorial election office website. Check under “absentee voting” if you do not see information listed under “voting in person” or “early voting.”

If you are registered to vote in New York state, early voting has already started and runs until November 1, 2020. You can find the times and places where you can vote early at the New York State Board of Elections. Voters living in the five boroughs of New York City must vote at their assigned early voting site. To locate your assigned site, please visit findmypollsite.vote.nyc. If you are registered to vote in Westchester County, you may vote at any polling station located within the county.

The early voting sites and hours for the University’s Rose Hill, Lincoln Center, and Westchester campuses are as follows:

Absentee Voting

Each state has mail-in voting but some allow you to take part only in certain circumstances:

• Some states require an excuse for voting by mail. Due to COVID-19, some states are giving all voters an excuse to vote by mail for certain elections.
• Because of COVID-19, your state may automatically send you an absentee ballot or a form to fill out to request one.

Please check your state election office for the specific rules for your state.

Making an Informed Choice

Finally, it can be difficult to determine the positions of each candidate running for office. Please feel free to visit nonpartisan voter information sites such as votesmart.org, vote411.org, and isidewith.com for more information on candidates, including their biographies, their voting records, their positions on issues, and contributions to their campaigns.

Participating in the democratic process is a privilege and responsibility we all share. Exercising your right to vote on Election Day is an important duty, too important to ignore or neglect. Please be sure to exercise your privilege and vote on Election Day, Tuesday, November 3.

Lesley Massiah-Arthur
Associate Vice President for Government Relations and Urban Affairs