To encourage students to strengthen their democracy, ETSU Votes held a registration event for National Voter Registration Day Tuesday, Sept. 24, in Borchuck Plaza, along with other political student organizations informing students about the issues at hand.
“The first thing we want to make sure is that students are registered to vote,” Seth Manning, graduate assistant for ETSU’s office for Leadership and Civic Engagement, said. “And that’s just because every election is going to impact you whether you’re involved in politics or not. We want students to know that.”
Washington County provided a voter registration table, along with information about how to vote and where.
ETSU has a diversity of opinion on campus. A variety of political groups are available for students to get involved deeper in certain political parties.
Young Democratic Socialists of America, or YDSA, also shared their political beliefs and the facts on policies for the upcoming election, bringing awareness to students on critical issues.
“This stuff directly affects students, and if we’re not out telling people why they should be supportive and why they should just get into politics in general, then nobody will,” Austin Cable, YDSA president, said. “This is important work, getting students engaged is important.”
Voter turnout among college students in the 2016 election was under 50%. Young voters make up about half of the voting-eligible population, making students a powerful political force.
“Whether people want it to or not, politics affects every aspect of your life” Cable said. “Whether it’s the money you pay for college, whether it’s the medical bills you have, whether it’s the availability of jobs – all those things are governed by the government and by politics, and students should be involved in politics, especially since we are the next generation.”
For more information about voting in Tennessee and how you can get involved on campus, visit etsu.edu/etsuvotes.
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