Are You Registered?

If you take one piece of advice from this page all year, let it be this: Register to vote or, if you're already registered in your home state, file for an absentee ballot. And, come Election Day, vote.

This election hardly needs an introduction, but to those overly focused on the Harvard experience, lift up your head from the coursebook long enough for this one. The presidential race promises to be the closest in years, with four prominent candidates in the fray. The Democrats are gunning to take back the House of Representatives. There are a number of high-profile, high-stakes Senate races, including the historic run of First Lady Hillary Clinton. Finally, propositions round off the ballot in many states, where school vouchers and environmental protection are at stake.

On Monday, at first-year registration, voter registration forms were included in the College registration packet. This was in line with new federal policy requiring colleges to make a "good faith effort" to register their students to vote. In addition, the nonpartisan Community Action Committee of the Institute of Politics (IOP) set up computers to help students request absentee ballots from their home states through www.voter.com. Though these services will not be available today for upperclass registration, the IOP does plan to table in the dining halls and remind students to send in those ballots and go to the polling stations November 7.

College students, unfortunately, are painted by older generations as apathetic about politics. A low voter turnout, even in presidential elections, reinforces this perception. But on a campus such as Harvard, this apathy--whether real or imagined--is downright outrageous. So do your part: Cut this page out and stick it on the Microfridge. Register to vote and file for an absentee ballot today. And, in this crucial election year, make your voice heard.