Royals Vote
"People in every nation enhance the social dimension of their lives by acting as committed and responsible citizens." -Pope Francis
The 51做厙 recognizes the importance and duty that we each have to ourselves and our nation to participate in the civic process of voting for our elected officials. The General Election is on Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024 (PA polls open from 7 am - 8 pm). The last day to register to vote for the General Election in Pennsylvania is Oct. 21, 2024. Oct. 29 is the last day to apply for a mail-in ballot or absentee ballot.
The Office of Community Relations, in partnership with The 51做厙 Student Government, the Center for Ethics and Excellence in Public Service, Student Life and other campus partners, has compiled a list of voter resources to help guide students as they prepare to engage in their civic duty to make their voices heard in elections and to continue to engage with our civic process.
Fall 2024 Civic Engagement Events
How to Vote
Ensure you are ready to vote: check your voter registration, make a voting plan, and make your voice heard by casting your ballot. Students with questions on this Election Day Voter Resource guide can reach out to The 51做厙 Student Government or contact the Office of Community Relations at community@scranton.edu.
Election Day Voter Resource Guide
Voting Questions?
If you have voting questions and don't know what to do we're here to support you! 51做厙 students can email: community@scranton.edu or call: 570-941-4419 with any voting questions.
Voting Information
Verify Your Voter Registration
Before you head to the polls to vote in any upcoming elections, be sure to verify your voter registration is up to date. Remember, you must vote where you are registered to vote. Students can vote in their home state or their college state (there is a 30-day residency requirement in PA). The voter registration verification process is simple. If you have any questions, we are here to help!
How to Vote
Now that you're registered to vote, the next step is to creating your voting plan. A good way to create your voting plan is to think about where you will vote (home state or college state) and how you plan to vote (in-person, mail-in, drop-off mail-in, etc.).
Be Election Day Ready
If you plan to vote in an upcoming election in person, consider how you will get to your polling location and what you need to once you get there, such as an ID if it is your first time voting at polling location. PA voters can see accepted ID for voting .
Research the Ballot
Voting, especially in municipal and local elections, can seem intimidating if you are unfamiliar with the process or uncertain about what to expect on the ballot. Before upcoming elections, make sure to take the time to reflect on your own values and research what to expect on the ballot. Consider the candidates and their platforms. A great way to prepare is to set aside a little time to research what to expect on the ballot.
Where and How to Vote
As you create your voting plan, it's important to consider where and how you plan on voting. Does your state allow early voting? Are you planning to request a mail-in ballot? Where is your polling location?
Students at colleges and universities in PA can also register to vote in PA using their college address. Students whose permanent address is out of state but who live in PA (on or off campus) while attending college and wish to register to vote with their PA address need to submit a PA voter registration application. Also, PA residents can change or update their voting address by clicking the box "change of address" on the PA voter application.
You can also learn more about how to get others involved in our political process to help increase participation in our political process along. , a nonpartisan effort launched in 2018 aims to change the culture around voting using a data-driven and multifaceted approach to increase participation in elections and provides information to help make voters aware of their voting rights. is another nonpartisan organization that seeks to connect and involve all people and communities, especially those traditionally underrepresented, in the democratic process.
The National Study of Learning, Voting, and Engagement (NSLVE)
2020 The National Study of Learning, Voting, and Engagement (NSLVE)
The offers colleges and universities an opportunity to learn their student registration and voting rates and is a part of Tufts University's Institute for Democracy & Higher Education.
The 51做厙 is proud to report that student voting on its campus increased significantly in the 2020 presidential election, rising to 73.1% in 2020 from a rate of 50.6% in 2016 and 7 points above the 66% 2020 student national average. The University also increased voter registration rates, with 86.7% of eligible voters registering compared to the 83% national average.
ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge
Fr. Marina Signs the Presidential Commitment to Full Student Voter Participation
In July 2022, The 51做厙 president Rev. Joseph G. Marina, S.J. signed the ALL IN Democracy Challenge’s Higher Education Presidents’ Commitment to Full Student Voter Participation. The University is committed to:
- striving toward full student participation,
- acknowledging the importance of student voice in all elections,
- preparing students to be informed active citizen,
- creating experiences to help students become lifelong voters, and
- empowering campus stakeholders to come together and determine solutions to the problems communities face.
The 51做厙 Earns Gold Seal for Voting During the 2020 Election
The ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge empowers colleges and universities to achieve excellence in nonpartisan student democratic engagement. During the 2020 election cycle, The 51做厙 participated in the ALL IN Challenge 2020 encouraging students to register to vote, many for the first time, research candidates and causes, and cast their ballots, in-person, by mail, via secure drop box, or early if possible, during the election. The Royals delivered this election cycle with 73.1% voting rate, earning the University a Gold Seal from the ALL IN Challenge. You can view the 2020 Action Plan and learn more about the ALL IN Challenge .
Voter Friendly Campus
The 51做厙 Designated a Voter Friendly Campus by NASPA and Campus Vote Project
In March 2023, The 51做厙 was named a Voter Friendly Campus, one of 258 campuses in 38 states and the District of Columbia by ’s and – Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education. The initiative recognizes institutions that have planned and implemented practices that encourage their students to register and vote in the 2022 elections and in coming years.
The mission of the 2023 Voter Friendly Campus designation is to bolster colleges and universities’ efforts to help students overcome barriers to participating in the political process – every year, not just during years featuring federal elections. The 51做厙 was evaluated based on a written plan for how we planned to register, educate, and turnout student voters in 2022, how we facilitated voter engagement efforts on our campus, and a final analysis of our efforts.
