The VoteDeis Campus Coalition, in collaboration with the Brandeis Student Union, held a voter registration and absentee ballot event in Fellows Garden on Oct. 7. The event had several booths set up for Brandeis students to receive assistance, resources, and be walked through the process of having their ballots mailed to them. Students also had the opportunity to register to vote for the first time prior to the upcoming Nov. 8 election. 

“There's so many different laws and rules for each state. So we're really here to make sure it’s simplified and students have all they need to request their absentee ballot and vote in this upcoming election,” explained VoteDeis volunteer and event co-organizer, Gabriella Lieberman ’23. In addition to Lieberman, the event was also organized by VoteDeis co-presidents Mandy Feuerman ’25 and Maia Lefferman ’25.

Also present at the event were Brandeis Democrats, Brandeis Democrats subcommittee targeted towards gun violence prevention “Students Demand Action,” and the Educational Network for Active Civic Transformation.

One of the ways in which VoteDeis primarily assisted students in requesting their absentee ballot was by providing the students with envelopes and the proper forms to be notarized on campus and physically mailed in, rather than requested online. While some states, such as Indiana, Pennsylvania, and Michigan, allow the request of an absentee ballot online, other states, such as California, do not. “I do know that I can choose not to vote, but that seems really stupid to me. Because, I mean, this country is supposed to be a democracy. It’s supposed to be representative of everyone’s voice. So why would I not put my voice in there?” explained Tori Lajous ’25, who requested an absentee ballot at the event.

Many of the booths and tables had some sort of giveaway for students, including desserts, buttons, and small copies of the U.S. Constitution. At the table for Students Demand Action, students could write the reasons they are registering to vote, and by the end of the afternoon the table had become covered in sticky notes including comments such as “to vote out antisemitism,” and “my vote matters,” as well as several more that said “hot girls vote.”

In addition to the student activist groups present at the event, members of the Waltham city government were present, including the mayor of Waltham, Jeneatte A. McCarthy, and several members of the Waltham city council.

“Brandeis students being who they are, need to get out there and vote. So this is very important. It's important we create these coalitions that include young folk and include us in the conversation because at the end of the day, we will be the next generation leading and taking on these bigger, bigger challenges,” Waltham City Councilmember of Ward 9 Jonathan Paz explained. In addition to advocating that students become registered to vote and request absentee ballots, Paz also discussed other issues with Brandeis students such as a lack of transportation as well as the rising cost of housing in the Waltham area.

In order to learn more about how to register to vote or check existing voter registration, students should visit vote.gov.