Liberty Serves as one of the Voting Precincts for the 2020 Presidential Election

Across Lynchburg, students and residents are gearing up to vote for the future of the nation in the 2020 presidential election. Officers of election at every polling place will keep the voting process running smoothly the moment the polls open on Nov. 3 until the last ballot is cast.

The city of Lynchburg is split into 18 voting precincts, with polling places found at locations such as schools, libraries or churches.

Juleigh Nucup, is the assistant to the director of voter registration for Liberty University,

“You show up to the polling place a couple of hours before it opens,” Nucup said. “Most of the time you show up there around 4:30 or 4 a.m.”

In addition to arriving early, election officials must stay until all the votes are counted and the polling place is broken down. Officers of election may work within several roles such as checking in voters, handing out ballots and standing by to answer questions as needed.

Candidates for officers of election are interviewed before being hired to fill the paid position. 

“You do have to be dedicated to it and bipartisan,” Nucup said. “You can’t just show up just for the small paycheck.”  

In addition to payment, working as an election official supplies an exciting opportunity to go behind the scenes to see exactly how each vote counts.

“It’s a right and a privilege to be able to vote to begin with,” Nucup said. “And to be able to see the process of how your vote actually counts is mind blowing.”

It is important that students take advantage of their right to vote this election season. For residential students living away from home, Liberty University is its own precinct. As such, every student who is an eligible voter has the opportunity to make sure that their voice is heard. 

“Even though your one vote doesn’t seem like it’s a lot, it can change things,” Nucup said. “We’ve come down to small numbers before. . . It counts and it can change things.”  

In previous years, voting on campus took place in the Vines Center. However, because the Vines is currently under construction, the polls will now be held in the Alumni Ballroom in the Montview Student Union. 

Students who are interested in becoming an election official for the next election should contact the registrar’s office for more information about how to get involved.

Abigail Hamilton is a News Reporter.