Column: Campus Cup kicks off at Utah universities

Hey Aggies! Are you registered to vote? This year, USU will be competing in Utah Lieutenant Governor Deidre Henderson’s Campus Cup! With the help of the Government Relations Council (GRC) and the Lieutenant Governor’s Office, we’ll be competing with other universities throughout the state to get more students civically engaged with their communities. UVU narrowly won the last Campus Cup, so this year we have to show them what it really means to be an Aggie. Prizes include the Campus Cup trophy, bragging rights, and a meeting with Lieutenant Governor Henderson. USU can earn points each time a student registers to vote or attends an event put on by the Government Relations Council.

Voter registration is worth double the points until the last day to register to vote, which is October 23rd. If you register after this date, you will only be allowed to vote provisionally at the polls. Election Day is on November 3rd. You can register online at https://secure.utah.gov/voterreg/index.html?fromLocation=usu.

Out-of-state students can still earn points for USU by registering to vote in their home state; simply send a photo or screenshot proof of your voter registration status to @usugrc on Instagram.

As an addition to the usual Campus Cup, there will be an Expedition Vote starting October 1st. Reach out to GRC to create a team and complete activities that earn points for both your team and the university. The team that earns the most points will win an additional 250 points for the university. The top team from each university will get a prize along with a grand prize for the top team in the state!

We can also earn more points by partnering with other organizations on campus! If your organization is interested in getting Aggies registered to vote, send us a DM at @usugrc. We would love to partner with you and get students more civically engaged.

If you’re curious about how votes are counted, pay a visit to the County Clerk! You can schedule a visit on their website, cachecounty.gov/clerk/, and earn even more points towards the Campus Cup by sending proof of your visit to GRC. They also host events for the upcoming election, so keep an eye out for those.

To vote, there are official ballot dropboxes located throughout Cache County (including one in the TSC). The dropboxes will close at 8pm on November 3rd. Election Day voting will be held at the Cache Event Center at the Fairgrounds, 490 S 500 W, on November 3rd from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Aggie Vote Week will start on October 14th, so look out for upcoming events including a trivia night, Snacktivities, and more.

The upcoming election in Cache County includes U.S. House of Representatives Congressional District 2, State Senate District 1, along with State House Districts 1, 2, 3, and 5. Each one of these offices is crucial in creating legislation that affects Utahns and students in higher education. For Cache County, the Cache County Council is up for election along with other offices. The Campus Cup is a great opportunity to learn more about what you’re voting for and why your vote matters.

Questions? Message @usugrc on Instagram! Follow along for more updates and where we stand in the Campus Cup. Go Aggies!

Carissa Jameson is an International Studies major, Political Science minor, and a member of the Government Relations Council. She is also on the Institute of Government and Politics Student Advisory Board and recently completed internships with the Utah State Legislature and Sandy City Mayor’s Office.