On Monday, the League of Women Voters of Kent partnered with Kent State Votes to host the “Your Voice, Your Vote, Your Power” tour for last-minute voter registration for students and to educate them on the importance of the upcoming election.
The purpose of the event was to remind students that Oct. 7 was the last day to register in Ohio, since students may find difficulties with voting in the current election system. Craig Berger, co-chairman of the Kent State Votes coalition, explained the disadvantages that college students have in elections.
“It’s important to bring these opportunities to college campuses,” Berger said. “The elections actually disadvantage students because it requires those who move frequently to have to reregister and students don’t always have access to a photo ID”.
Kent State Votes is a coalition of students, faculty and community members that focuses on the barriers that students face in the voting process. Since the beginning of the fall semester, Kent State Votes has focused on voter registration, but with the deadline for registration passed, they will now focus on educating registered students on how to vote.
“After today, we’re going to transition more into efforts to make sure the students know where they can vote, how to preview their ballot and to make sure they know how to put a plan together for how they’re going to cast their ballot,” Berger said.
The League of Women Voters of Kent also has the mission of educating and advocating for voting rights. For decades, they have provided voter guides published through The Portager and The Record Courier and can also be found at Vote411.org.
Sherry Rose, the president of the League of Women Voters of Kent, explained what their voting guide provides.
“Voters can go on and find out their platform, what they stand for, as well as defining the issues as well.” Rose said. “So we have information about that there, and we also talk about the different offices and what their responsibilities are. So for the students, if they have a particular issue that really speaks to them, it’s what office actually covers that issue.”
The Kent State campus is the last stop on the voter registration tour across Ohio hosted by the League of Women Voters of Ohio.
While the organization does not take a position on candidates, they do take a stance on issues, such as Issue 1. A “yes” vote on this issue supports the establishment of a 15-member non-politician commission to be responsible for state legislative and congressional redistricting plans.
As the United States inches closer to Election Day on Nov. 5, Rose said the next step for students to make their voices heard is to make a plan to vote.
“It’s one thing to register to vote,” Rose said. “It’s another to actually plan out how to get that vote out because, now more than ever, their voice matters. They are voting on their future and I think they should understand that democracy is not a spectator sport.”
Paul Burlinghaus is a reporter. Contact him at [email protected].
