Madeline Petrick
Boston University News Service
Leading up to this year’s midterm elections, Boston University’s out-of-state students were left with a question: How do I vote?
The process students often follow to vote out of state can be tedious and difficult. Often, it means requesting an absentee ballot on time, having it sent to their student address, and mailing it all the way back to their home state. However, these extra steps haven’t stopped BU students from casting their ballots.
“I feel like I’m not being the best citizen I can be if I don’t vote,” freshman Tess Frezel said.
Frezel, a Pennsylvania resident, planned to vote by mail in her home state.
“I live in a swing state,” said Frezel. “My vote would matter more at home than in one of the most blue states in the country,” she said.
Massachusetts is ranked the third most Democratic state in the U.S. according to the World Population Review, and hasn’t swung Republican since 1984.
“Electoral advantage,” said Hugh Coleman, a senior from Georgia, is his main reason for voting in his home state. “Georgia is a swing state, and Mass is not…Georgia has competitive races that I want to weigh in on.”
Nafeesa Hoda, a sophomore political science major and TurnUp Activism intern, has been working to aid BU students who are choosing to vote in and out of state, with presentations at various student organization meetings.
“One student even said they didn’t know why they didn’t do it sooner, which I think shows that some college students from out of state feel so ashamed for not registering immediately that they end up procrastinating asking for help,” said Hoda.
Hoda said that students can feel overwhelmed by the process, or feel like it is a hassle.
While Coleman said he felt the process was “really easy,” he still believes it could be made easier for students.
“Voting should definitely be more accessible for students,” he said. “I think that information about voting and voter registration should be displayed clearly on as many websites and social media platforms as possible.”
For Coleman, voting outside his college state has also changed how he follows politics.
“It’s made me keep up with the politics of two states – the one I live in and the one I vote in,” Coleman said. “I feel like it’s made me more aware of state issues as opposed to federal ones.”
Hoda said student participation can be especially important during midterm elections, when turnout is typically lower than during presidential elections.
“If a lot of students vote, the results are more likely to represent our preferences,” said Hoda.
Nearly 50 million young people (ages 18-29) are eligible to vote in the 2026 midterms, and BU is home to about 38,000 within that demographic. However, young voter turnout is routinely less than older generations.
“Participating in democracy, especially in this political moment, is extremely important to demonstrate support for our democracy and learn how politics impacts our daily lives,” Hoda said.
