Be Informed, Get Involved, Make a Difference – Vote!

Iona College launches voter registration and civic engagement events both on campus and online through Election Day

September 18, 2020

NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y. — Iona College has announced a series of voter registration and civic engagement events taking place through Election Day. Whether online or on campus, students are encouraged to be informed about the issues, get involved in the process and make a difference during a critical time in the nation’s history by voting.

“As Gaels, we are used to being active participants in our communities and in the world at large. But for many students, this is the first opportunity you will have to be directly involved in the political system as voters – and what an important role you will play,” said Iona College President Seamus Carey, Ph.D. “I urge you to use this time wisely. Learn about the issues that matter most to you, your families and your communities. Reflect on the future you wish to see, and how you will be part of that change. Most importantly, vote. Every vote matters, and you have an obligation to yourself and your nation to cast an informed ballot.”

This year’s #IonaVotes outreach is reflective of the College’s active and engaged campus life, where “Iona Takes Action” on the issues. Whether it’s advocating on Capitol Hill, participating in mission work, encouraging peers to be informed or simply exercising the right to vote, Gaels are known to Learn Outside the Lines and make a difference. Faculty will also continue to leverage the election as an interdisciplinary teaching and learning opportunity, with a wide range of panel discussions and other ways to engage.

Join #IonaVotes and register to vote in the 2020 election! National Voter Registration Day is September 22. Students, faculty and staff will be able to register at Iona’s in-person voter registration event on the Spellman portico. Students may register using their permanent home or their Iona residence. See additional voter registration details below.

Please mark your calendars and get involved as new events are added to iona.edu/ionatakesaction! Inspire your fellow Gaels using #IonaVotes on social media!

View Civic Engagement Events

#IONAVOTES

Democracy only works when people show up! Join #IonaVotes to register to vote in the 2020 Election. Students, faculty and staff may register through Iona’s in-person Voter Registration events on September 22. Students may register using their permanent home or their Iona home. For additional resources, please visit Iona’s Voter Registration Information page, or for information regarding voting and registration in other states, please go to Vote411.org.

VOTING IN NEW YORK STATE:

Resources to learn how, where and when to register to vote in New York:

For the first time in New York State's history, all registered voters can request an absentee ballot (under the "temporary illness" excuse). If you choose to vote by absentee ballot, then there are several ways you can cast your completed, signed ballot.

1. Put it in the mail ensuring it receives a postmark no later than November 3
2. Drop it off at an Early Voting poll site between October 24 and November 1
3. Drop it off at a poll site on November 3 by 9pm
4. Drop it off at your county Board of Elections Office starting September 8 through no later than November 3 by 9pm (see the list of county Boards of Elections Offices here)

In addition to absentee voting, New Yorkers can also take advantage of Early Voting. For nine days, from October 24 to November 1, registered voters can cast their vote in-person at an early polling site. Of course, New Yorkers can still vote in-person on Election Day, November 3, as well.

VOTING IN CONNECTICUT:
For the first time, all Connecticut voters are eligible to vote by absentee ballot in the general election held on November 3, 2020 due to COVID-19. Just check the COVID-19 box on the application. Register online to vote.

Registration Deadlines
Online: Register online to vote.
Tuesday, October 27, 2020

By Mail (Received): Tuesday, October 27, 2020
In Person: Tuesday, October 27, 2020

How do I vote absentee?
For the general election held on November 3, 2020, please use the Application for Absentee Ballot:

For an emergency ballot within 6 days of an election, please use the Emergency Application for Absentee Ballot:

VOTING IN NEW JERSEY:
Due to COVID-19 (coronavirus), all registered voters will receive a mail ballot for the Tuesday, November 3, 2020 General Election. In person voting is only available on Election Day.

Registration Deadlines
By Mail: Tuesday, October 13, 2020
In Person: Tuesday, October 13, 2020

Absentee voting is available and no excuse is required. The last day to request an absentee ballot is 7 days before the election. If returning your Mail-In Ballot in person, it must be received by your County Board of Elections before close of polls on Election Day. If returning your Mail-In Ballot by mail, it must be postmarked no later than Election Day and received by your County Board of Elections no later than 48 hours after the time of the closing of the polls for the election.

You may apply for a vote by mail ballot by completing an vote by mail ballot application and mailing the application to your county clerk. The application must be received by the county clerk seven days before the election.

ABOUT IONA
Founded in 1940, Iona University is a master's-granting private, Catholic, coeducational institution of learning in the tradition of the Edmund Rice Christian Brothers. Iona's 45-acre New Rochelle campus and 28-acre Bronxville campus are just 20 miles north of Midtown Manhattan. With a total enrollment of nearly 4,000 students and an alumni base of more than 50,000 around the world, Iona is a diverse community of learners and scholars dedicated to academic excellence and the values of justice, peace and service. Iona is highly accredited, offering undergraduate degrees in liberal arts, science and business administration, as well as Master of Arts, Master of Science and Master of Business Administration degrees and numerous advanced certificate programs. Iona students enjoy small class sizes, engaged professors and a wide array of academic programs across the School of Arts & Science; LaPenta School of Business; NewYork-Presbyterian Iona School of Health Sciences; and Hynes Institute for Entrepreneurship & Innovation. Iona is widely recognized in prestigious rankings, including The Princeton Review’s 2025 national list of “The Best 390 Colleges” and The Wall Street Journal/College Pulse’s “2024 Best Colleges in America,” which ranked Iona at #66 in the nation overall and #8 in the nation among Catholic schools. Iona’s LaPenta School of Business is also accredited by AACSB International, a recognition awarded to just six percent of business schools worldwide. In addition, The Princeton Review recognized Iona’s on-campus MBA program as a “Best Business School for 2023.” Iona also offers a fully online MBA program for even greater flexibility. In July 2021, Iona announced the establishment of the NewYork-Presbyterian Iona School of Health Sciences, which is now principally located on Iona’s Bronxville campus in collaboration with NewYork-Presbyterian. Connecting to its Irish heritage, the University also recently announced it is expanding abroad with a new campus in County Mayo, Ireland. A school on the rise, Iona officially changed its status from College to University on July 1, 2022, reflecting the growth of its academic programs and the prestige of an Iona education.