As the presidential election rapidly approaches, the question of how to vote and if students are voting becomes prevalent on a college campus.
The United States Census Bureau, put out by the United States Department of Commerce, reported in the last presidential election, the 18 to 24 age demographic was the only group to show a significant increase in voting. However, while more students came out to vote, the 18 to 24 demographic still had the lowest voting turnout.
This month, two Mississippi State University organizations, the Stennis Montgomery Association, a non-partisan political group, and the Student Association, are collaborating to encourage student voting.
Meg Appel, Stennis Montgomery Association president, said Stennis Montgomery sponsored two voter registration drives.
“Basically, we were registering people in Oktibbeha County, so if you decide to vote here instead of in your home district we would take it to the circuit clerk office for you,” Appel said.
Appel said while voter registration is over, students are still able to register for absentee voting. She said a student can call their circuit clerk in their perspective district and have an absentee ballot mailed to them, and then take the ballot to be notarized.
Appel said she thought the registration drive helped increase the amount of students voting.
Griffin Hatcliff, senior business management major, said he felt the election represented mixed opinions among MSU’s student body.
“I feel like there are substantial amount of people that are interested in the election; however, there is also a large number of students that are apathetic towards it,” Hatcliff said.
Annie Blass, freshman elementary education major, said she thinks attitudes vary by students regarding this year’s election.
“I think we are excited about voting,” Blass said. “It is our first time to vote, and most of my friends have been watching the debate and keeping up with it. We’ve all had fun talking about it.”
The Stennis Montgomery Association and the SA’s Community and Governmental Relations Committee are joining together to host a mock election on campus to encourage students to vote.
Jenni Brown, Community and Government Relations Committee co-director, explained the idea behind the mock election.
“It’s just going to be shoeboxes and paper ballots, and we will have the top three candidates,” Brown said. “We thought about doing a write it, but there is just no telling what we get.”
Brown said there will hopefully be three locations around campus, with the proposed locations being at Mitchell Memorial Library, Colvard Student Union and Dorman Hall. The mock election will be held Monday Nov. 5, the day before the national election.
Brown said she hopes seeing the advertising and the mock election will give students the initiative to go vote.
“This is your chance to voice your opinion as a campus, so embrace it,” Brown said.
Appel said she hopes by seeing the mock results, it will be an incentive for students to go and vote in the national election.