Dickinson Votes wants to help you vote in the next election, which is the Pennsylvania Primary Election on Tuesday, April 23, 2024!
In this important election, Carlisle voters will choose between candidates for President of the United States, for Representative in the U.S. House in the Pennsylvania Tenth District, and several state-level offices including state executives, State House and Senate, and more.
On Election Day, Dickinson students who are registered to vote can cast their ballots from 7 am to 8 pm at the Bosler Public Library, located across from Denny Hall. Students should follow the sidewalk chalk arrows to the back of the library to enter to vote.
An important reminder – for this primary election, only voters who are registered as Democrats or Republicans can vote on April 23 in Pennsylvania! This is important to keep in mind when voting.
For a look at a sample ballot and additional voting resources, please refer to this voter guide from Spotlight PA, an independent, non-profit news organization in Pennsylvania. Alternatively, VOTE411 from the League of Women Voters (nonpartisan and non-profit) provides information about your ballot based on your address (Dickinson students registered on campus can use this address: 272 W. High St, Carlisle, PA, 17013).
If you have any questions or need assistance, please contact any of our Dickinson Votes Faculty Representatives: Sarah Niebler, Colin Rathbun, Erik Love, or Adeline Soldin.
Everyone: We strongly recommend verifying you are registered to vote before Election Day. You can do so at Vote.org or, if you're registered in PA, you can do so here. Select "Find your Voter Registration Status by Name" and remember that Dickinson is in Cumberland County.
Where do I vote?
If you register with Dickinson Votes, using your HUB Box number and 272 W. High Street, Carlisle, PA 17013 as the street address, your polling place will be Bosler Memorial Library, 158 W. High Street, Carlisle, PA 17013.
Please note that Bosler Memorial Library is not the same as Dickinson College’s library, or Bosler Hall. Bosler Memorial Library (also known as the Public Library) is located directly across High Street from Denny Hall.
News, Events, and Voter Statistics
In 2018, Dickinson earned a “Silver Seal” award from the “All In: Campus Democracy Challenge” because our student voter participation rate was between 30-39 percent.
While Dickinson’s voting race increased significantly between the 2014 and 2018 midterm elections, we still have a long way to go. Our 47% and 35% turnout rates in the 2016 presidential and 2018 midterm elections still rank below many of our peer institutions.
Voter Information Guide - What's on the Ballot?
The League of Women Voters' Education Fund prepares a non-partisan voter guide. To see information on the races and candidates on your ballot, visit https://www.vote411.org/ballot. If you are casting a ballot while registered on campus, you can enter this address on the vote411.org website: 272 W. High St, Carlisle, PA 17013.
Why should I vote in Carlisle, PA?
Dickinson Votes encourages everyone to vote where you live!
After all, voting is always local. Voting is about conversations about all the issues that matter to you, with your neighbors, friends, and colleagues. As a member of a residential college, you have a great opportunity to participate in those conversations here on our campus and in our community. Student voters learn that as you move forward after your college experience, you will likely move around frequently, but you should participate in your community and vote where you live, even if you’re “only” living somewhere for a “short time” (like four years!). Get into the voting habit now by engaging with your neighbors, friends, and colleagues—and always register to vote where you live. (Besides, if you vote in Carlisle, you can get one of these great stickers!)
Want to get involved in Dickinson Votes?
Dickinson Votes is a non-partisan group of volunteer Dickinson College students, staff, and faculty dedicated to ensuring that all eligible Dickinsonians have the opportunity to participate in federal, state, and local elections. We table at monthly voter registration events, go to classrooms of interested faculty to talk with students about the voter registration process, and remind everyone to get out and vote as Election Day approaches. If you are interested in working with us, please contact Associate Professor of Political Science, Sarah Niebler and/or Associate Professor of Sociology, Erik Love.
Faculty Resources
Faculty Post-Election Resources
Please find below a list of a few resources compiled by the Center for Civic Learning & Action that we thought might be useful in your classes post-election results.
Faculty Resources for Post-Election Planning & Discussion
- 4 Ways to Talk to Students About the 2016 Election, from TeachThought (from 2016, but still relevant)
- Post-Election Campus Resource and Response Guide, from Students Learn Students Vote
- How to Respond to the Results of the Election, from Peter Levine
- Readiness for Discussing Democracy in Supercharged Political Times, from Nancy Thomas and the Institute for Democracy and Higher Education
- The Faculty Network for Student Voting Rights
Faculty Resources to Encourage Election and Issue Engagement
- Difficult Classroom Conversations About Political Issues, from The Campus Election Engagement Project
- Combating Cynicism, from The Campus Election Engagement Project
- Teaching and Learning in a Tense Election Season, from U. Michigan's Center for Research on Learning & Teaching
- Election Imperatives 2020: A Time of Physical Distancing and Social Action, from the Institute for Democarcy and Higher Education (faculty-specific guidance, p. 8-9)
- The Common Room: Managing Political Difference on the Virtual Campus, from Pen America, the Freedom to Write
- What to Expect When You're Electing, from Pen America