James Condon ‘30
Staff Writer
In my 18 years living on this earth, I have heard (and said) many stupid things. This week, I found a new winning phrase when I asked someone if they planned to vote: “Nah. I’m too busy.”
“I’m too busy” has to be the worst response a college student can give about voting.
The 2026 Midterm election is approaching fast. And in 5 days, 435 House seats, 35 Senate seats, 6139 state legislature seats, 36 governors’ offices, and thousands of local elections are on the ballot. The people who decide everything, from what’s legally considered a sandwich to where your tax dollars go to what the government ought to do, are up for election.
And your response? “Yeah, that’d be great. But like I wanna go to Croads right now” or “I gotta hit legs.”
There is absolutely no excuse to not vote if you’re eligible. It is an insult to the hundreds of thousands of activists, statesmen, jurists, journalists, and service members who have worked their asses off in ways you can’t imagine to ensure future generations can have a say in government in a world where that is not the norm.
It is also an insult to the billions of people in the world who are affected by American policy. Millions live and die by the whims of our foreign policy and thus by us as voters.
In attending Holy Cross, we have accepted the invitation “to join in dialogue about basic human questions: What is the moral character of learning and teaching? How do we find meaning in life and history? What are our obligations to one another? What is our special responsibility to the world’s poor and powerless?”
This dialogue wasn’t meant to exist in a vacuum on campus. As a Jesuit institution, the world is our house, and participation in these questions requires participation in the world around us. This extends to participation in voting.
That’s why voting feels so important to me- it’s not a private matter that I make at the ballot box, but a moral obligation I have as a student, citizen, and human being.
Now you may say, “That’s nice, but how do I actually vote?” This is the complicated question I aim to answer for the rest of the article.
Step 1: Check your voter status
Go to holycross.turbovote.org or search “(state name)” registration lookup and check your status.
You may already be registered even if you don’t remember doing so or just turned 18. (I pre-registered to vote in NY when getting my learner’s permit!)
If you aren’t registered to vote, then register to do so: you can do this by looking up register to vote with your state option on TurboVote.
Depending on your state, you still may be eligible to vote in this election. Check your state’s registration deadline! Even if you can’t vote, registering will ensure you’re eligible for the next election.
Step 2: Make a voting plan!
It’s 5 days before the election, so your options may be limited. That being said, there are a few options still available. Depending on your state, here are the options.
Early voting: I get that it’s Halloweekend, but voting is important, and your parents miss you! If you live a drivable distance away, take a trip back home, stop by your early voting location, and cast your ballot.
Election Day voting: Hate that one class? Want to skip it guilt-free? Vote in person! Check your local precinct and cast your vote there. Bonus points if you guilt-trip your professor by writing an email apologizing that you were too busy voting!
Mail-in/Absentee: This one is the riskiest if you haven’t requested it yet, because your ballot may not come in time. While I don’t recommend it, if the other two options are impossible and you want to make every effort, then request your ballot ASAP. Make sure you mail it out well before Election Day to ensure it counts.
Additional Resources:
holycross.turbovote.org: By far the best way to get from no idea about your voting status to casting your vote. Even includes information about what’s on your ballot!
Vote.org: Another incredible website aimed at getting you to the ballot box. Similar to TurboVote in helping you get your status, deadlines, and ways to vote.
Ballotpedia.org: Great resource to understand who is running for offices on the ballot with streamlined bios, electoral history, and links to candidates’ socials and websites.
Copy edited by Annamaria DeCamp ’27
Featured image courtesy of Milwaukee Independent
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