Easing the voting process

Due to this year’s historic election, some GCSU faculty are making it easy for students to either register themselves to vote or to acquire an absentee ballot.

Dr. Gregg Kaufman, coordinator of the American Democracy Project at GCSU, explains that students can either go to him, Kathleen Martin, GCSU Deputy Registrar, Dr. Jan Clark, rhetoric professor, or the voter registration office in the courthouse on Hancock Street to pick up an application to request an absentee ballot.

According to the Secretary of State’s website, absentee ballots may only be requested 180 days prior to election day, November 4th. The absentee ballots must then be received by mail or fax by the county’s Board of Registrar’s office by 7 pm on Election Day.

No absentee ballots are issued the day or the day before the election.

If students are not yet registered, they may visit Kathleen Martin or Dr. Jan Clark, as well as many of ADP’s events, to receive a voter registration application.

Some students may find it easier to register and to vote in Baldwin County rather than registering their home address and acquiring an absentee ballot.

“Students can register in Baldwin County as long as they list a street address,” Kaufman said. “Every residence hall has a street address. One of the challenges for both student voters and the Baldwin County Voter Registration office is maintaining accurate address records.”

However, if the voter’s street address changes, he or she must re-register. Unless a student is particularly interested in Baldwin County and Milledgeville elections, it may be easier to maintain the home voter registration address and vote using absentee ballots, advises Kaufman.

Sophomore marketing major Alana Israel explains that she will either vote via absentee ballot or drive home on Election Day.
“I definitely plan on voting on Election Day, but I hadn’t really thought about how yet,” Israel said. “I guess I would drive home if I had to, but knowing that absentee ballot forms are offered on campus is really helpful.”

The American Democracy Project is hosting several events this semester to ensure that students are informed and ready to make their vote count.

“The ADP and ADP RSO are hosting a number of election watching events including Senator Obama and Senator McCain’s nominating convention speeches, three presidential debates, and the Vice Presidential debate,” Kaufman said. “Currently, the library Books & Brew is the venue for most.”

The ADP is also working with the College Republicans, Young Democrats and the Colonnade to host a mock debate where students can debate against each other. At each of the ADP events prior to the election a table will be set up at which students can get voter registration forms.

The deadline to register to vote in time for this year’s election is Oct. 6. Also, be sure to mail or fax absentee ballots to your home county in time to arrive by 7 p.m. on Election Day.

This election will be a historic one, and it is important that the younger demographic make the effort voice an opinion.

“You are today and tomorrow’s leaders and those of us who are your elders and others who are to follow will depend on an informed and actively engaged citizenry to address significant regional, national,and global challenges,” Kaufman said.

For more information contact Gregg Kaufman, gregg.kaufman@gcsu.edu, Kathleen Martin, k.martin@gcsu.edu, or Jan Clark, jan.clark@gcsu.edu.

Posted by Colonnade Archives on Sep 5 2008. Filed under News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry