2008 Woodie Awards
Voting Made Difficult For Students
Taylor Collier/Muleskinner
Issue date: 10/5/06 Section: News
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The 2004 presidential election sparked a new voting generation phenomenon among college-age students, but the focus now is whether or not the trend will continue.
There is no way of tracking or keeping a database of the number of active voting students, said Sharlene Bax, associate professor of Political Science. However, Bax said the Political Science Department is actively involved in two ways to attract more students who may not be voting.
The first is by offering class-based presentations. Bax and volunteers are giving presentations to classes targeted to the current non-voting student with voter registration forms completed in class and voter registration cards are then provided to students.
"A good number of students have used the class-based presentations," Bax said. "As of last Thursday, there are approximately 156 registered student voters."
The second plan to attract students is by email, which encourages students to register to vote. The email will explain where voter confirmation centers are located on campus, which offer opportunities to register year round.
Bax said where a student lives determines where he/she votes.
"I do believe we make registering and voting difficult for students," Bax said. "They deal with a temporary residence and spend most of their time here in Johnson County, when they actually live or come from somewhere else."
Bax explained that students ineligible to vote in Johnson County must vote by absentee ballot.
"The absentee process is even more difficult and involves more steps," Bax said.
According to a study titled "College Students and the Problem of Nonvoting," multiple factors contribute to the low rates of participation of the college-age voting group. Some of these factors include youth, inexperience with voting, status in their communities and political culture.
Another problem facing college students are state residency laws, which affect where students can register and vote. Many students are discouraged, and in some instances prohibited, by state law from establishing legal residency in their college communities,.However, general voting rights are protected by the absentee ballot.
There is no way of tracking or keeping a database of the number of active voting students, said Sharlene Bax, associate professor of Political Science. However, Bax said the Political Science Department is actively involved in two ways to attract more students who may not be voting.
The first is by offering class-based presentations. Bax and volunteers are giving presentations to classes targeted to the current non-voting student with voter registration forms completed in class and voter registration cards are then provided to students.
"A good number of students have used the class-based presentations," Bax said. "As of last Thursday, there are approximately 156 registered student voters."
The second plan to attract students is by email, which encourages students to register to vote. The email will explain where voter confirmation centers are located on campus, which offer opportunities to register year round.
Bax said where a student lives determines where he/she votes.
"I do believe we make registering and voting difficult for students," Bax said. "They deal with a temporary residence and spend most of their time here in Johnson County, when they actually live or come from somewhere else."
Bax explained that students ineligible to vote in Johnson County must vote by absentee ballot.
"The absentee process is even more difficult and involves more steps," Bax said.
According to a study titled "College Students and the Problem of Nonvoting," multiple factors contribute to the low rates of participation of the college-age voting group. Some of these factors include youth, inexperience with voting, status in their communities and political culture.
Another problem facing college students are state residency laws, which affect where students can register and vote. Many students are discouraged, and in some instances prohibited, by state law from establishing legal residency in their college communities,.However, general voting rights are protected by the absentee ballot.
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