Voter registration information checkpoints were at St. Thomas promoting National Voter Registration Day Tuesday, which is celebrated on the fourth Tuesday of every September to remind citizens to vote.
More election events are to come at St. Thomas, including a Zoom panel with Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. On Thursday, a panel discussion is scheduled for 12 p.m., featuring Distinguished University Chair and Founding Director of the Racial Justice Initiative Yohuru Williams, Commissioner of Minnesota Housing Jennifer Ho, and Minnesota State Reps. Kaohly Her and Dave Pinto.
Students members of the Civic Engagement, Voter Education and Advocacy Task Force, along with some university staff members stood outside, asked students if they had registered to vote and gave students registration resources.
Amy Gage, director of neighborhood relations, was at Monahan Plaza passing out flyers with the group.
“The vast majority of Tommies have told me they are registered as they walk by,” Gage said.
According to the United States Voter Project, only 21.7% of registered voters voted in the state of Minnesota for the 2020 primary election.
Manuela Hill-Munoz, director of innovation and changemaking, said that she is optimistic that undergraduate students will vote come election day.
“The data we have from 2018 shows that 80% of our undergraduate population were registered to vote,” Hill-Munoz said. “Out of that 80%, 61% voted. So I am really hopeful that this year people will vote because this election is very important and young people are really engaged.”
Senior Katelyn Padden and sophomore Kate Ostaffe, interns for the Campus Election Engagement Project, were also out at the registration checkpoints.
“We are the future, and we should each be a part of deciding who our leader is.” Padden said. “It truly is a privilege to vote, and it is important not to take it for granted.”
Padden’s counterpart was just as enthusiastic about voter registrations.
“My main goal is to empower students to vote,” Ostaffe said. “I know that college students are busy and voting can be confusing, but I want to make all of this information accessible to students. I think it is important for students to know that their vote is their voice, and that their vote matters.”
Another philosophy that registration members recommend for students is to make a plan for election day.
“Will you vote by mail, in-person, early vote or on November 3, election day?” Hill-Munoz asked. “If you are doing in person voting, early or the day of, make sure you know where you are going to vote.”
Students can find more information on how, where, and when to vote by calling 1-877-600-VOTE or by visiting the Office of the Minnesota Secretary of State website.
Andrés Tejeda can be reached at teje4962@stthomas.edu.
Song Johansen can be reached at song.johansen@stthomas.edu.