Trout Library Blog - Library Guides at Charles H. Trout Library

With the pivotal 2022 midterm elections only three weeks away on Tuesday, November 8, I have created an Election 2022 Guide to provide you with all the information that you will need to cast your vote. A link to the guide can be found by clicking on Library Guides on the Library's homepage and then selecting the Special Topics tab:

Library Guides: Special Topics; Three Tabs Beneath: Programs & Courses, Special Topics (highlighted in purple), Information Literacy Modules; Beneath on left: Health Topics with an alphabetical list; Beneath on right: Special Topics with an alphabetical list, Election 2022 encircled in red a little more than halfway down.

The guide consists of three tabs. In the first tab, find links that will help you determine whether you are registered to vote, and if not, how to register; where to find your polling place for in-person voting, how to obtain a mail-in or absentee ballot, and where to find drop boxes for submission of mail-in and absentee ballots. You will also find links to specific voting information pertaining to college students in Pennsylvania and to first time voters in Pennsylvania. Below are some key items:

College students may register at either their campus address or their home address.
The deadline to register to vote in the 2022 election is Monday, October 24.
Requests for mail-in or absentee ballots must be received by 5pm on Tuesday, November 1 -- but you should make the request as soon as possible if you are interested.
Mail-in ballots must be returned no later than 8pm on Election Day, Tuesday, November 8, or they will not be counted.

The second tab in the guide lists the races on the ballot in Harcum's precinct. This is a ballot that you will see if you are voting from your campus address. Links will direct you to the Ballotpedia entry for each candidate. The two top races on the ballot are for U.S. Senator from Pennsylvania and Pennsylvania governor. In addition, you will be voting for U.S. House Representative in District 5 and for Pennsylvania State Assembly Representative in District 149.

The third tab lists U.S. House races that you will find around the region if you choose to vote from your home address along with links to House district information. To create a sample ballot for your precinct, a good site to use is Vote 411 from the League of Women Voters. When you enter the site, simply click "Find What's On Your Ballot" and enter your home address. You will then get a list of the races on your ballot. If you click on a race, you will see the candidates as well as some information about them, their positions, and links to their campaign website and social media. Vote 411 will also help you check your voter registration and find your polling place.

Remember that if you have questions about the Election Guide or any other resource, we are always here to help you. You may come to the Library in person, call us at 610-526-6085, email us at library@harcum.edu, or use our chat service on the Library's homepage when it is available.

Bill Fanshel

Evening/Weekend Librarian

wfanshel@harcum.edu

610-229-9311

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Election 2023

Election Day is Tuesday, November 7. Polls are open in Pennsylvania from 7am until 8pm. Although 2023 is not a federal election year, there are still many important judicial and municipal races on the ballot. If you live in Philadelphia, for example, you will be electing a mayor. The right to vote is sacred, and we encourage everyone to exercise it. While off-year elections do not receive the same level of attention as presidential races, the outcome of elections for local offices and judgeships also can have a significant impact on your life -- sometimes a greater impact than higher-level offices. In addition, your vote is more likely to make a difference in municipal races since the constituency is smaller and races therefore can be decided by a handful of votes. Note as well that people who occupy local elected positions sometimes will run for higher office at a later date. So there are many reasons to go to the polls and vote! The race at the top of the Pennsylvania ballot is for a vacant seat on the seven-member state Supreme Court. Click the hyperlinks below for information about the candidates: Daniel McCaffery (Democrat) Carolyn Tornetta Carluccio (Republican) A good site to use for election information is Vote 411 from the League of Women Voters. It provides links that will allow you to verify your voter registration and to create a sample ballot for your precinct. The most efficient way to use the site is to enter your home address (the address at which you are registered to vote) into the box where you are given the opportunity to create "Personalized Voting Information." Click the Submit button, and you will see a list of the races on the ballot in your precinct. Click on individual races to see the candidates, information about them, and links to their websites. In some cases, appearing here are answers to interview questions that the candidates have submitted. Scroll down further to find the address of your polling place along with a map to help you locate where it is. In addition to the source mentioned above, you can also find your polling location on the site of the Pennsylvania Department of State. Ballotpedia, an online encyclopedia of American politics, is another good source for finding candidate information. The site also allows you to generate a sample ballot for your precinct by entering your home address. Students living on campus may register to vote either at their campus address or their home address. For students who are registered at their campus address, type Harcum's address (750 Montgomery Avenue, Bryn Mawr, PA, 19010) into either Vote 411 or Ballotpedia to see the races on the ballot in Harcum's precinct. The polling place for Harcum's precinct is: First Presbyterian Church of Ardmore 5 West Montgomery Avenue Ardmore, PA 19003 To keep up with the latest news related to the election, remember to consult the extensive number of sources that I have included in my News, Politics, & Current Events library guide. Bill Fanshel Evening/Weekend Librarian wfanshel@harcum.edu 610-229-9311 ...