Editors’ Note: This story was updated on Nov. 1 to clarify a student’s opinion on voting. 

Making an educated decision on which candidate to vote for is hard, but for most new voters, that’s not even the hardest part. You must know how, where and when to vote, not to mention understanding the processes of mail-in voting, registering and choosing between your college and home state.

We, as new adults, are heavily encouraged to vote. But for most of us, no one is rushing to explain the process. I know that I have a lot of questions. Should I vote in Virginia or my home state? How does absentee voting work? Do presidential debates usually go like this? How do I register? Should I vote for whoever my parents vote for, or should I stray from the norm and do my own research? These are all valid questions and important things to consider.

I spoke to an array of people from the Washington and Lee community on behalf of the Ring-tum Phi. Most first years were unaware of how to go about most of the voting process, yet all wanted to vote. Kate McEnroe, ’28 said, “I’m trying to figure out absentee voting, but I think I need my dad to help me with that.” If that’s you, let’s figure it out.

Firstly, decide if you want to vote. Do you know enough about the presidential candidates to make an educated choice? If not, consider watching the debate and interviews with each candidate or reading articles from a spectrum of news sources. If that sounds like too much work for you, refrain from voting this time around. Every vote matters and a vote without mindful consideration is harmful to our democracy.

“I already know where I stand but I’m still doing research,” said Gabby Pullen, ’28. She said she will be making sure of her decision, although she is confident in her choice already.

Jackie Daynovsky, ’28, also shared her process with the Phi. “I have a split household, so it’s very different for me. I take opinions from both sides, and I choose what I’m passionate about,” she said.

Some may consider not voting because they believe their singular vote makes no difference to who is elected. It may feel like, out of hundreds of millions of people voting, your vote won’t make a difference. But I believe each vote counts. If we all thought our votes didn’t matter because there were too many people and we all stopped voting, there would be no system. We owe it to ourselves to represent every voice of our country and vote.

Others, like Daynovsky, may be discouraged because they dislike both candidates. “I’m not strongly passionate about either candidate, and I feel like they both definitely have a lot of flaws,” she said. In that case, I understand that it can feel like you are searching for the lesser of two evils, but it is critical that you research and find which candidate aligns better with your beliefs, even if it is by a small margin.

If you choose to vote, your next decision should be what state you should vote in. Many Washington and Lee students originate from outside of Virginia, and therefore have the option to vote in their home state or their college state. I recommend voting in the state where your vote might be in the minority, so that it might have more of a noticeable effect. You can find information on how to register and how to apply for an absentee ballot on your state’s official website.

All in all, the most important part of voting is knowing the process and educating yourself. The right to vote is a privilege, so strive to represent yourself and those issues that matter to you. Be confident in your choice.