GRAPHIC | Tara Espinoza
National Voter Registration day was Sept 20. Organizations across the United States worked to help American citizens take the steps able to exercise their right to vote. At Arkansas Tech, the Do Something RSO worked to register students to vote across campus.
Arka Tech believes this is a valuable effort and that students should continue registering to vote beyond National Voter Registration day. Voting is not only a civic duty but a right. Students should feel empowered to make their voices heard. No vote is unimportant, no matter what you are voting for.
According to research done by Tufts University, only fifty percent of youth voted in the 2020 presidential election. This statistic goes down for smaller elections. Registering to vote is the first step toward improving this turnout.
Young people like us have the chance to make a difference. To make changes towards whatever we are passionate about. We need only to take it.
That is why Arka Tech encourages students to register to vote and take it further.
Do not just register to vote and then forget about it. On Nov 8, general elections will be held in Arkansas. This includes voting for Governor, U.S. representatives, and a Senator, as well as essential issues.
The Arka Tech encourages you to go beyond registering and researching the candidates and issues on the ballot.
Ballotopedia.org and commongroundar.org are great resources to find what will be on the ballot. Visit candidate party websites to read up on their platforms. Attend information sessions, keep up with the news, and discuss with your peers.
If you are a student from out of state, make sure to find your state’s rules on out-of-state voting. This differs state by state. If you have lived in Arkansas for at least 31 days before the first election, you will vote and then be eligible to register. You may need to update your voter registration if you have changed addresses or your legal name recently.
Then, when Nov 8 comes, be prepared and be excited to vote. Voting is an exciting opportunity that not everyone in the world gets.
After you register to vote, you will receive a registration card. On that card, it will tell you where your voting location is. Keep this card and take it with you on voting day or during the early voting period. Once at your location, volunteers will direct you in the voting process.
Voting does not have to feel like a chore. It doesn’t have to be intimidating. Arka Tech wants students to be inspired to exercise their rights as U.S. citizens. Register to vote, go to the polls and be proud of yourself for participating.
