According to the latest U.S. Census, voters aged 18 to 29 are least likely to vote in elections because of things such as school, work, or lack of belief that their vote will count for anything. This fact alone is why it’s extremely important to encourage younger voters to the poles.
On November 1st and 2nd, the University of Georgia’s Student Government Association hosted early voting for the first time on campus at the Tate Student Center with consistent lines of 100-200 people ready to cast their ballot at any given point during the day, which resulted in an outstanding 2,600 students participating in early voting. The university itself was extremely helpful in informing students about the very few (but important) restrictions to be elligible to vote in Athens-Clarke County. They sent out campus-wide emails and had information posted telling students that they needed to insure that their voter registration was within Athens-Clarke County and to be sure to remember to bring their driver’s license in order to vote.
From the start, SGA proposed voting in the Tate Student Center because of the convenience it held for students, falculty and staff. Because of its central location, almost every student and staff alike walk past Tate at a given point in the day, which is why this venue was chosen for early voting.
Making this event happen was an involved process because SGA not only had to get the approval of the university, but they had to get the approval of the Board of Elections to have a polling place located on campus. The university was notably supportive in letting SGA use their facilities, as most of the voters would likely be their students and faculty. Although it was a lengthy process, there were no unexpected challenges because the SGA, in conjunction with the Board of Elections and the university, spent many weeks in preparation to make sure their proposal contained no points of concern. The location was fit for use and voters needed to know they needed to be registered in Athens-Clarke County to vote at the Tate Student Center.
As for some improvements for the next time the elections roll around, it would be more benefical to have more voting machines to help with the heavy flow of voters coming in to cast their ballots at once.
It is extremely important for students to be aware of poltics and feel like their vote matters. On a more personal note, I’m extremely glad to be attending a university that encourages students to vote so much.
Go dawgs! Go Vote!