ASUSU working to increase student voter registration
Students can help USU get more funding by registering to vote, said Troy Smith, ASUSU Executive Vice President.
The past week has been Civic Awareness Week, Smith said. CAW is not a new event, but he said it has not been as publicized in the past and ASUSU really wanted to make it a big event this year.
“Here in Logan, we are one-fourth to one-third of the population and if we were to vote together we could have more control over a lot of things,” Smith said.
ASUSU placed flags across campus and small signs encouraging people to vote, brought Army Sergeant Marshall Thompson to speak, sponsored a student shout-out, put on the Rock the Vote concert, and has tables set up to get students to register to vote.
“So far it’s been amazing,” Smith said. “People are very grateful. A lot of the freshman and even many of the upperclassmen are surprised at how easy it is to vote.”
Smith said it’s important to register and vote because it will show the legislature that students “have a lot of clout on Capitol Hill – they’ll be able to see we are the voting power, because we will be the ones that put them in office.”
A contest between all the colleges and universities in Utah is going to see who can get the most students to register to vote, or for the registered voters to pledge to vote, and to see which institution can get the highest percentage of their student body to register, Smith said.
“The idea is to have all of higher education together and to get students to have more of a say,” Smith said. “We want everyone to have a vote, rather than just the older generation.”
“There is a $340 million surplus in the state right now, students need to let the legislature know we have a vote, and that we will lobby for that money, or else it will probably go to roads and transportation,” Smith said.
Katie Holmes, the ASUSU lobbyist chairperson, said an opportunity for students to have a voice and effect legislation that will impact USU is a new internship that Smith organized for students this year.
“I think anybody who’s interested in any kind of political information and how the university is funded should be interested in the internship,” Holmes said. “Students have a lot of pull.”
The internship consists of eight 50-minute classes and four trips to go lobby in Salt Lake City, Smith said. The program can be taken either as a class or can be used for internship credit.
The classes will be taught by four members of the House of Representatives, one Senator, and three professional lobbyists, Smith said. Classes begin Oct. 5, and are taught on Thursday from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. until Nov. 30. Applications are due by Sept. 29, and can be picked up in room 326 of the TSC.
Classes are restricted to students with junior standing or higher and a 3.0 GPA, Smith said.
The three credits from the class will be counted toward spring semester. During the spring semester, students will lobby the Capitol in February and March and write a paper, Smith said.
“It’s an amazing opportunity, and a great way to network,” Smith said. “I don’t know why you wouldn’t do it.”
Holmes said even if students can’t take the class, they should vote because “if people who are running for political office see USU is politically active and willing to vote, they’ll want to make us happier and support us with money and grants.”
Brad DeGering, a senior in statistics, said, “I think if we don’t vote, we don’t get a voice and students get screwed.”
The Rock the Vote concert was held Wednesday in the TSC Ballroom to raise awareness for the need to vote. More than 100 students were given donuts and hot chocolate while they listened to live music from local bands. A table was set up near the door to get students to register.
Smith said students don’t realize how easy it is to register to vote.
“You approach the table, grab a registration slip, fill out some basic information and ASUSU takes it to the county clerk,” Smith said.
Smith said ASUSU will be at many Ag Week activities to get voters and will go door to door in some places to convince students to vote. He said they want as many students as possible to register or pledge to vote.
The county is opening polls two weeks prior to the elections, and Smith said he is trying to get the county to put a booth on campus for students.
Smith said if students get involved with lobbying and voting, it will have a higher impact than if lobbyists approach lawmakers.
“Don’t tell me your vote doesn’t count,” Holmes said. “If you don’t vote, you don’t have the right to complain.”
-dilewis@cc.usu.edu