Sponsored by The Center for Volunteerism and Social Action.
This year, millennials and Generation Z will make up the largest share of eligible voters in the United States — but, in previous elections, they have had some of the lowest voter turnouts compared to eligible voters of older generations. Given that the younger generations are such a large portion of not just eligible voters but the U.S. in general, they should have a large say in who the elected officials are at all levels of government.
One reason often cited for not voting is that the process is confusing — this is valid and I cannot say I disagree with that sentiment. However, the University of Idaho departments and partners have ensured this issue was addressed by providing students with a plethora of online and in-person resources for voter education.
This includes, but is not limited to, TurboVote, our UI website VandalsVote, as well as various tabling events to help people register. TurboVote makes registering to vote easy by leading students through the registration process on an online platform. It helps start the absentee/mail-in ballot request process, sends election reminders and more. People may even use Turbovote if they are registering to vote and requesting an absentee ballot for elections outside of the state of Idaho.
VandalsVote is a program through the University of Idaho’s Center for Volunteerism and Social Action (CVSA) and offers various information and important dates for voters. Lastly, the CVSA and our governing student body, The Associated Students University of Idaho, teamed up to host several tabling and virtual events this semester to promote education about voting and education about the candidates.
They have tabled outside the ISUB on several days to help our students, staff and faculty get registered or request an absentee ballot — and will continue this initiative through October.
One of the most common reasons I hear from eligible voters who choose not to vote is that they don’t know anything about the candidates. This is also something our campus departments and clubs are working hard to address. On Sept. 29, Oct. 15, and Oct. 22, the CVSA is hosting watch parties for the presidential debates in the ISUB food court.
A similar event will happen on Oct. 7 for the vice-presidential debate and on Oct. 9 to show a delayed stream of the forum with our local candidates. Furthermore, the CVSA’s Civic Engagement & Leadership Coordinator Abigail Rode has created nonpartisan flyers for each of the four candidates that represent their views on political and social issues that are topical among college students.
“With all the media involvement, it’s hard to know where a candidate stands on certain topics. Knowing exactly what candidates are saying about topics helps us understand their views,” Rode said. “I also feel it’s so important to include ALL the candidates because more and more people in the United States feel as if they are voting for a candidate based on their party and feel as if they are not being accurately represented.”
For Idaho voters: the deadline to register online or by mail for early voting is Friday, Oct. 9, and early voting begins on Tuesday, Oct. 13. For those registered in Latah County, ballots may be dropped off to the Latah County Auditor’s office, however, there will also be a dropbox in the parking lot in an effort to minimize interactions with other people and safely follow social-distancing guidelines. Early voting will occur through Oct. 30.
In regard to Election Day, which is Nov. 3, University of Idaho students and Moscow residents will have the option for same-day registration and voting at one of three polling locations — the UI Recreation Center (SRC), the Hamilton Indoor Recreation Center and the Latah County Fairgrounds. For in-person registration, student ID will suffice, however, for voting by mail, government-issued identification or a social security number is required.
For those registered outside the state of Idaho, head to uidaho.turbovote.org to get more information on how to register to vote.
Voting is a privilege afforded to certain residents of the United States — if you are one of those who are eligible, you need to take advantage of this privilege. Every aspect of your life — personally, academically, and professionally — is impacted by our elected officials.
If you are happy with the representation and changes in the last four years, go vote to ensure that those continue. If you are unhappy with the representation and changes in the last four years, go vote to ensure that those do not continue. Just go vote.
This article was paid for by The Center for Volunteerism and Social Action. The article was written by Aaron Bharucha. For information about sponsored content, contact Student Media Advertising at [email protected].