Across the United States, almost 15.4 million people are enrolled in college or university, but in the 2020 presidential election, only 66% of those people voted, which dropped to 22% in the 2022 midterms. National voter registration day highlights this disparity and strives for people everywhere to register to vote.
The Political Science and International Studies Department, led by Dr. Jamie Scalera Elliot, and students held a panel discussion on the importance of voting. The department set up shop in the Russell Union to help students register and request absentee ballots.
“Well personally my own reason to vote is to simply just exercise that right that people so hardly fought for,” senior Paris-Angeliqua Hall said. “Not only that, but to actually make a difference in community for my peers, and I think that as a young person, especially it’s important for us. The world is changing.”
The panel discussion was led by three professors: Dr. Patrick Novonty, who spoke on the history of voting rights in America; Dr. Brett Curry, who spoke on Supreme Court decisions regarding voting; and Maureen Stobb, who spoke on voters’ responsibilities.
“I think the most important thing is to remember the oft said quote ‘it’s a republic if you can keep it’,” political science professor Maureen Stobb said. “And if you do not participate then we will lose a republic; we will not have a democracy if people don’t participate, let their voices be heard, pay attention. And also by voting, become informed as a person who is a part of a democracy, a part of the polity, a part of our society, and be a part of that social fabric that supports a democracy. Because you can’t have it, as many people will say, a constitution is a piece of paper, it’s not going to do anything unless people actually believe it, act on it, and defend it.”
A common challenge for those encouraging young people to vote, is trying to make it engaging and fun. The department, along with members of The League of Women Voters, gave out pizza, popsicles, candy, and fun merchandise to entice students to learn more.
“The best way I try and make it fun is just to get to know everyone, to show them the positivity, and of course when it comes to college students, candy and food. We did popsicles and pizzas today, and just some candy. But just for myself, the best way to make this fun, is just to do it with other people that also want to be politically involved,” Hall said.
Students, many of whom are first-time voters, may feel overwhelmed with the pressure of choosing who they feel is the best candidate. That’s why the panel opened up the floor to questions, to push students in the direction of resources they can use to make them more confident when they hit the polls come November.
“Just start somewhere, and just say ‘What is their perspective?’ Then do a little background research on that source, whether it’s Fox News, MSNBC, RealClearPolitics, any of them, just start by looking at one, and try to understand what they’re saying and what their background is,” Stobb said. “And then to find another, right? Google, what’s the opposite side of the aisle, right? And compare the two perspectives. And as you do that, as you see the dialogue between the two, that is kind of that adversarial pursuit of the truth. That if you see people arguing about things, then you will, through the process of actually listening and trying to find ways, ‘What’s the flaw in that argument?’, and ‘What did this person say that that other person missed?’. By doing that, even if you keep it small, then you’re taking that first step.”
October seventh is the last day to register to vote in Georgia, and October twenty-fifth is the last day to request an absentee ballot. Head to Georgia.gov to check your status now.