New York State will hold primary elections for 2024 races on Tuesday, April 2, with early voting to be held from Saturday, March 23, through Saturday, March 30. Several campus organizations are gearing up to ensure that Vassar students have easy, informed access to their ballots. One such organization, Vassar Votes, is focused on making voting as accessible as possible to students and maximizing campus voter turnout. In a written correspondence with The Miscellany News, Associate Director of Community Engaged Learning Jean Hinkley discussed some of the measures Vassar Votes is taking to achieve its mission.
“Thanks to the support of the Dorm Voting Advisor team and our Campus Voting Assistant, we have many methods of outreach to support strong voter turnout.,” wrote Hinkley. “DVAs communicate pertinent information, support students’ voter registration, and requests for absentee ballots. Our Campus Voting Assistant, Matt Freire, has been supporting the DVAs in their role. We hold monthly meetings and welcome any students interested in the upcoming elections to attend!”
Hinkley provided a list of DVAs and instructions for how to register to vote. She noted, “Later this week, students registered to vote locally with their campus addresses will receive a ‘Voter Guide’ via email. The guide will include information about voting on campus for New York State’s Presidential Primary Election, information about early voting, and an explanation of the ballot.”
Calder Beasley ’26, Noyes House DVA, wrote about the role of DVAs on campus and in conjunction with other Vassar Votes initiatives: “Dorm Voting Advisors will be in communication with their houses throughout the semester to share information about registering to vote, voting by mail and primary updates. Students should receive emails through their house’s Dorm Voting Advisor. If students have questions and don’t know their Dorm Voting Advisor, they can email VassarVotes@vassar.edu.”
He continued, “DVAs will also be tabling around campus and hosting events in their houses to spread awareness and rally students to vote. On the day of the primary, VassarVotes will be tabling and directing students to the Aula [in Ely Hall] where they can vote if they are registered in Dutchess County.”
Beasley also described how Vassar Votes has measured interest in the upcoming primaries on campus. “I gauge interest by the people who approach me when tabling or at events. Emails are also a great way to understand what questions people have and how I can support students in their voting journeys.”
About half of all campus residential areas are currently supported by a DVA, according to Hinkley, though Vassar Votes aims for all housing areas to have one. “One of our goals is to have 100 percent of the houses supported with a Dorm Voting Advisor. We are [currently] at 50 percent and are looking for students to volunteer as DVAs in Cushing, Ferry, Raymond, Strong, the TAs [Terrace Apartments], and the SOCOs [South Commons],” wrote Hinkley.
Vassar has also partnered with TurboVote to register students at their home addresses. Hinkley wrote, “TurboVote will send election reminders (including upcoming absentee ballot request deadlines) to those signed up. Anyone can sign up to receive these types of reminders, by visiting vassar.turbovote.org. At the beginning of the semester, we shared this resource with students to learn more about primary elections in their state. This resource is on our website and the campus Voter Guide will be uploaded there as well.”
On the day of the primary elections, Vassar will have a poll site on campus as is required by New York State law, confirmed Hinkley: “Right now, the Board of Election has approved Vassar to have a polling place on campus. The Aula at Ely Hall is the current polling site for Election Districts 6-2 and 6-3 for this 2024 Primary Election.” Vassar first had an on-campus poll site for the midterm elections in November 2022, which several community members and outside organizations helped the College to establish.
The Office of Community Engaged Learning (OCEL) is in collaboration with various campus organizations to raise awareness about voting. According to Hinkley, “[OCEL has] partnered with the VSA on ways to share more information about the work of our office, including Vassar Votes. We’re grateful for their support! Vassar Votes aims to collaborate more with student organizations, house teams, and student groups. If a group would like to collaborate on a Q&A session or workshop they can complete this form.”
She continued, “The OCEL works with many local and grassroots organizations that support issues impacting Poughkeepsie, Dutchess County, and the greater Hudson Valley. Some issues that our partners care deeply about on the voting ballot are: housing justice, rent stabilization, access to affordable healthcare, New York for All Act, and renewable energy.”
Giovanni Verdi ’25, Vice President of Vassar Voices for Planned Parenthood (VVPP), spoke about which candidates the organization was planning to support in the upcoming races. “Vassar Voices for Planned Parenthood is looking forward to seeing advocates for reproductive rights, healthcare, and justice on the ballot in the upcoming primary elections in New York State. These candidates align their action in NYS politics with the values that our organization upholds and the overarching goal of pro-reproductive health work being tackled in these political settings. Kirsten Gillibrand is running for re-election in the New York State senate and has always worked to protect abortion rights and reproductive health freedoms in our state,” wrote Verdi.
Charlie From ’25 shared some of their candidate preferences for the State Assembly race. “Claire Cousin supports NY public workers’ rights to strike among other initiatives that’ll help Hudson Valley’s working class. Didi Barrett has shown time and time again she won’t stand with working folks when it comes down to it, so it’s time to get her out of office,” wrote From.
This primary election is drawing attention for several candidates’ stances in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas. From added, “[Barrett’s] a Zionist supporting Israel’s state-sanctioned genocide of the Palestinians, and we certainly can’t have that.”
There is still time for students to register to vote in the upcoming April 2 primaries. Hinkley noted, “The deadline to register to vote with your campus address is Saturday, March 23. Students will need to complete a paper voter registration form by Friday, March 22. Students can reach out to the DVA in their house or email VassarVotes@Vassar.edu to register.”
Beasley wrote, “Please vote! If you are confused about your registration or the voting process, please reach out to me, other DVAs, or VassarVotes.”