With the midterm election approaching this November, many students will be completing new voter registration forms or updating their old ones. Voting is a civic duty as American citizens, but no one can vote if not registered. According to Let’s Vote Nova, “Villanova’s mission statement calls for a community of people ‘who seek to nurture a concern for the common good and who share an enthusiasm for the challenge of responsible and productive citizenship.’” 

Let’s Vote Nova is a nonpartisan organization that provides information to students about voting and voting registration in Pennsylvania. There are several key races happening during this midterm election in Pennsylvania.  There are gubernatorial, Senate, House of Representatives, Pennsylvania House of Representatives and Pennsylvania Senate positions being voted on in this election. 

In Pennsylvania, the deadline to register to vote is October 24. Many students are choosing to register to vote in Pennsylvania rather than voting in their home states because of how important the election in Pennsylvania is. Pennsylvania is a battleground state that faces major changes with all of the potential outcomes of the elections. 

A frequently asked question by many students from out of state is how to change their voter registration to Pennsylvania. While the process of switching registration can seem daunting or confusing, Let’s Vote Nova outlines the process in just a few easy steps. 

First, students need to visit their home state’s voter registration website. Each state has different rules and regulations when it comes to registering in a new state and canceling old registration, and this information can be found only through one’s home state’s voter registration website. After this, all that is left is filling out the Pennsylvania voter registration form. When filling out the form, make sure to check “new registration” in section three titled “reason.” Even though students may have already been registered in their home state, if it is the first time registering in Pennsylvania, the reason for registration will be “New Registration.” 

For more information, go to the Office of Student Involvement in Dougherty 102, where Let’s Vote Nova is housed. For additional resources and information on voter registration and general voter information, visit visit vote.pa.org.