It’s Election Day: Here’s What You Need To Know

Editor’s note: This article was initially published in The Daily Gazette, Swarthmore’s online, daily newspaper founded in Fall 1996. As of Fall 2018, the DG has merged with The Phoenix. See the about page to read more about the DG.

Election Day is finally here, and with it comes The Daily Gazette’s guide to voting as a Swattie. Polls will open at 7:00 AM and close at 8:00 PM across Pennsylvania. For more details, check the registrar’s web page on voting here. We’ve listed some of the basics below.

Polling Locations:

Students who registered to vote from Swarthmore College should vote at one of the following three polling locations depending on their dorm.

Swarthmore-Rutledge Elementary School at 100 College Avenue (Dana, Danawell, Hallowell, Lodges, Mertz, Alice Paul, David Kemp, Parrish, Wharton, Willets, Whittier, Woolman, Worth)

The CADES building at 401 Rutgers Avenue (Mary Lyons, Palmer, Pittenger, Roberts, Strath Haven)

Borough Hall on Park Avenue (Some off-campus housing).

Students can check their polling place and registration status online.

Transportation:

The Swarthmore Democrats and Swarthmore Conservative Society will be running a shuttle to the CADES polling place. There is also a trolley run by NextGen that runs to Swarthmore-Rutledge Elementary School. All shuttles leave from Parrish Circle every ten minutes.

All polling places are also located within a 15-minute walking distance of Swarthmore.  

Voting Requirements:

All voters should bring a Pennsylvania ID, their Swarthmore OneCard, or a form of federal ID to vote. Under Pennsylvania law, you will be turned away from the polling place if you do not have valid identification. Out-of-state drivers licenses do not qualify as a valid form of identification.

Voters must have already registered to vote in Pennsylvania before October 11, 2016. If you have not registered, are only registered in another state, or have already voted in another state, you will not be able to vote. Students can check their registration status here.

Problems at the Polls:

Voters who believe that they have registered but do not find their names on the voter rolls at the polling place where they believe they are registered should ask the poll workers for a provisional ballot. After submitting the ballot, election officials will research your name to determine why you were not on the voter rolls. If your registration is indeed confirmed, your ballot will be counted.

In the case of voter intimidation, repression, or harassment, students should report the individuals involved to the non-partisan election judge in the polling place.

In the state of Pennsylvania, everyone has the right to vote so long as they enter the line at their polling place by 8:00 PM. If you are still in line after polls officially close at 8:00 PM, you may remain in line to cast your vote.

Voters can also contact the Election Protection Coalition at 1-866-OUR-VOTE with any other questions or problems they experience while voting.

Mock Ballot and Short Candidate Biographies:

U.S. President/U.S. Vice-President:

• Hillary Clinton (Democrat) – Sec. of State, Senator from NY, First Lady
• Tim Kaine (Democrat) – Senator from VA, Governor of VA
• Donald Trump (Republican) – Chairman of the Trump Organization
• Michael Pence (Republican) – Governor of IN, Congressman from IN
• Gary Johnson (Libertarian) – Governor of NM
• Bill Weld (Libertarian) – Governor of MA
• Jill Stein (Green) – Physician
• Ajamu Baraka (Green) – Human Rights Activist
• Darrell Castle (Constitution) – Attorney
• Scott Bradley (Constitution) – Educator
• Evan McMullin (Unaffiliated) – House Republican Policy Director, CIA Agent
• Nathan Johnson (Unaffiliated) –Placeholder for Mindy Finn, a Digital Media Strategist

U.S. Senator:

• Pat Toomey (Republican)(I) – Senator, Congressman
• Katie McGinty (Democrat) – Governor’s Chief of Staff, PA Sec. of Environmental Protection
• Edward T Clifford III (Libertarian) – Accountant

U.S. Representative (Pennsylvania’s 1st congressional district):

• Robert Brady (Democrat)(I) – Congressman
• Deborah Williams (Republican) – Insurance Agent

PA Auditor General:

• John Brown (Republican) – Northampton County Executive
• Eugene DePasquale (Democrat)(I) – Auditor General
• Roy A Minet (Libertarian) – Businessman
• John J Sweeney (Green) – Falls Township Auditor

PA Attorney General:

• Josh Shapiro (Democrat) – Montgomery County Commissioner
• John Rafferty (Republican) – State Senator, Deputy Attorney General

PA State Treasurer:

• Otto Voit (Republican) – Businessman, Treasurer of PA School Board Assoc.
• Joe Torsella (Democrat) – Former United States Representative to the UN for Management and Reform, Chairman of the PA State Board of Education
• James Babb (Libertarian) – Advertising Consultant
• Kristin Combs (Green) – Teacher

PA State Representative (Pennsylvania State House district 161):

• Leanne Krueger-Braneky (Democrat)(I) – State Representative
• Patti Rodgers Morrisette (Republican) – Realtor

Proposed Constitutional Amendment 1 – Amending The Mandatory Judicial Retirement Age:
Shall the Pennsylvania Constitution be amended to require that justices of the Supreme Court, judges, and magisterial district judges be retired on the last day of the calendar year in which they attain the age of 75 years?

• A YES vote changes the retirement age from 70 to 75 years
• A NO vote rejects the amendment and keeps the current retirement age of 70 years

Featured Image Courtesy of flipboard.com

EDIT: November 8th at 12:36pm: Swarthmore College Democrats and Swarthmore Conservative Society are running a shuttle to CADES, and NextGen is running a shuttle to Swarthmore-Rutledge School.