Hi, if the majority of the people vote for NOTA (None of the above) then the second best candidate would win.

So, don't you think it's rather useless to go and vote for NOTA and just not showing up is the better option, if we feel no candidate deserves our vote?

Do you believe the voting age should be lowered to include people under 18? What can you do to get involved with the election/politics if you’re not yet 18?

Hi there! Great question. Here's what I know: getting out and voting is super important. There are countless elections that have been decided by only a few votes. For example, a 2017 Virginia state election was tied, so the winner was selected by drawing names out of a bowl. Literally. The 2020 presidential election had the highest youth voter turnout in modern history. And not only that, young voters (particularly young Black voters) were hugely impactful in key battleground states like Georgia and Arizona -- ultimately powering the election results there.
The Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (aka CIRCLE) has identified the top 10 Senatorial, Congressional and Gubernatorial races where youth and first-time voters can have a disproportionately high impact on the results as a voting bloc.
So yes, showing up and voting matters very very much. :)

For more AMAs on this topic, subscribe to r/IAmA_Politics, and check out our other topic-specific AMA subreddits here.

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You said today is National Absentee Ballot Day. I don’t think I’ve heard of that before. What is it?

How safe is absentee voting or voting by mail? Is my vote protected if I drop it off at a ballot box or in the mail? I hear that a lot of mail in votes don't always get counted.

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Wouldn’t it make make more sense to vote in person the day of as opposed to absentee/voting by mail? Does absentee voting actually count?

Lots to unpack here. Before we do that, a reminder that you can register to vote in 2 minutes with DoSomething and request your absentee ballot here.
There is a major myth that voting by mail is less secure than voting in person. Mail-in voting has received a lot of attention these past few years because of the COVID-19 pandemic, but the truth is that it has been around for a long time.
Absentee voting goes as far back as the Civil War, and no-excuse absentee voting (voting by absentee even if you are physically available on Election Day, just for the convenience of it) has been a thing for about 40 years now. Even prior to this election, every state offers some form of vote-by-mail, whether for an approved excuse or just convenience. Because states have been doing this for a while, they have A LOT of measures in place to make sure that mail ballots are secure and that election integrity is maintained. Here are some examples, sourced from the Brennan Center for Justice:
Verifying identity: Voters must provide their personal information and signature, which election officials match against voter rolls.
Bar codes: Some states assign barcodes to each ballot, making it easier for officials to track ballots and identify duplicates. Voters can also use them to make sure their ballots have been received.
Secure drop-off locations: Some voters opt to drop-off their ballots in a designated location prior to Election Day, and states take steps to make them as secure as possible. Drop boxes are constructed to be tamper-proof, and they’re often supervised by election officials or equipped with security cameras.
Penalties: States discourage voter fraud (which is a federal crime) by enacting their own criminal and civil penalties in addition to the hefty fines and prison sentences available under federal law.

Good question.

Most states offer at least one method for eligible voters to cast their ballot before election day, including absentee voting and all mail-in voting. And according to the law, all ballots of all types must be counted before an election can be closed or certified. This includes ballots coming from overseas, dropboxes, polling locations, etc. However, it’s super important to ensure you submit your ballot properly. Check (and then double-check!) if there are instructions with your ballot or on the website of election officials in your state.

Sometimes voting in-person on election day just isn't an option. Students away at college can submit absentee ballots if they are registered to vote in their home state and attend school out of state. This means you don’t have to travel to your hometown polling location to vote. In addition, if you have a permanent or temporary residence in the state where you attend college, you can change your voter registration to that state in order to vote in person. Just be sure to update your voter registration!

But know that registering to vote in more than one state is illegal! You must register in your home state, or the state where you attend school.

If you still feel anxious about voting by-mail, you can always visit your polling place on election day to cast your vote! Be sure you know the location of your polling place and check if you need to bring any type of ID with you. Most states offer some sort of in-person voting option prior to Election Day. You can find out more about if your state offers early in-person voting here. This option is ideal if you want to vote in person, but you aren’t available to do so on Election Day, you want to avoid crowds, or you just want to reduce your chances of waiting in a long line. Options are always great!

To help you navigate these different options, head to Your Plan, Your Vote and make your voting plan today!

Hi DeNora! Are young people represented in our political process? Do politicians really listen to young people?

Here's my take. It’s understandable that young people may not feel listened to by lawmakers and those in positions of political power. However, that’s beginning to change. For one, there’s 8 million newly eligible voters this year ALONE, and Gen Z is one of the largest demographic groups in the US.

Secondly, this election represents the first time that members of Gen Z are actually running for office in Congress such as Maxwell Frost running in Florida’s 10th Congressional district.

Young people are also making their voices heard and moving to the forefront of social movements for affordable education, economic autonomy, and climate justice. Casting your vote in this election will send a powerful message that the youth voting bloc cannot be ignored and will help get these issues on the radar of elected officials as they take office.

Were 30,000 ballots sent out to unregistered voters?

That’s awesome, are there organizations helping Gen Z get ready to run for office? How would I get started?

Hi there. I believe you may be referring to the 30,000 mailers that were sent out in Colorado to non-citizens due to a mailing glitch. However, as cited in a recent Washington Post article, these were just postcards reminding them to register, not actual ballots. The article states that, "none of the noncitizens will be allowed to register to vote if they try." Voting by absentee ballot or mail-in ballot continues to be a secure way to cast your vote and an important way for people to participate in the electoral process who may not be residing in their home state or can't otherwise make it to a polling place.

My sister wiped with her ballot; can she still use it?

That's not a myth. Mail-in voting is significantly less secure than Absentee for one simple reason. Verification. Absentee ballots have to be requested and independently verified by signature when submitted and by photo ID when requested. As far as mail-in voting goes. Some states even put forth legislation to bypass signature verification. Oddly enough, the rejection rate of mail-in votes was astronomically lower in 2020 than any previous years. Thoughts, Propagandist?

I don’t care about proof verifying who y’all are. I prefer proof that our #vote is counted, especially in light of evidence to the contrary: bit.ly/FakeDemocracy

Thank you for clarification

To what extent are party operatives allowed to interact with the voter when they vote by mail? Can the ballot be hand delivered to the voter? Can someone be in the same room with the voter as they fill out the ballot? Is the voter required to bring their ballot to the mail box? Or are party operatives allowed to gather vote by mail ballots and deliver those ballots to the mail box or ballot drop off location?

My daughter just turned 18 and doesn't want to vote or even care to register. Her reasoning is since we live in a very slanted state her vote doesn't matter plus she doesn't feel right casting a vote unless she knows and understands the person and issues.

What would you say to her regarding her point of view?

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