As Election Day nears, I only have one question for you: why wait?

I’m talking about voting.  In some states, you can vote in the Nov. 4 elections before Nov. 4 – no excuse necessary.  It allows voters to cast ballots from satellite locations around their state, like public libraries, grocery stores, schools, etc.  Got a lot to do on Nov. 4?  Vote now.  Don’t want to wait in that long line at the polling place on Election Day?  Vote now.

Some of you are probably thinking, “This sounds so great, why doesn’t everyone do it?”  Well, depending on what state you live in, you may not have the option.  Only 31 states allow their citizens to vote early.

Mississippi is not one of those states.  Although the state does allow voters who will be away for whatever reason to cast absentee ballots, the rest of us have to wait.  This restriction frustrates some students at the University of Mississippi.

Ole Miss junior Rodrigo Chavez said he thinks not being able to vote early in Mississippi is a huge problem and makes it much harder for college students to vote.

“I think not being able to early vote in Mississippi is a problem because I’ve heard a lot of people say lately that they aren’t ever going to worry about voting because they are busy with school, they have jobs, and a bunch of scheduling issues,” he said.  “I think it’s a big deal because it’s important for everyone to vote.”

Ole Miss senior Ricky Wood thinks not being able to participate in early voting is more than just an inconvenience; he thinks it discriminates against young voters.

“I think students are strongly discouraged from voting when they can't early vote, and I think it's also a "hidden attack" on younger voters to keep the status quo,” he said.   “It ensures that long serving politicians keep their seats.”

Voting is also problematic for college students because most students are not registered where they go to school, but at their permanent residency.  This means for some students, in order to vote on Election Day they must travel home – which for some can be hours by car or plane.

One way to get around this problem is by absentee voting.  By either visiting the chancery clerk in the location you are registered to vote or by sending in an absentee ballot, young voters can still have their voices heard on Election Day.  However, this deadline has passed for many states, and is too tedious for some college students.

“I meant to absentee vote, but I just kept on forgetting,” said Ole Miss sophomore Kelly Winkle.  “There’s just too much paper work.  Now it’s too late and I live too far away to drive home to vote.  It kind of sucks, but what do you do?”

Many college students seem to be in the same boat as Winkle, which makes the issue of early voting even more pressing.  How much the option - or the lack thereof - to early vote will affect young voter turnout is not yet known.  That’s why it’s important for those of us who can vote to get out and do it. 

We’re all busy, but taking the time to cast your ballot could help determine the next president of the United States of America.  To quote Nike, and to be totally cliché, just do it.

For more information about early voting, absentee voting, and what your state’s policy is, visit http://www.declareyourself.com/voting_faq/why_wait_.html#nc and http://www.ncsl.org/programs/legismgt/elect/absentearly.htm.