Junior Ashley Olson wants SMU students to vote this November. She’s not alone, the student-run organization Democracy Matters, where she serves as vice president, and Students for a Better Society are holding a voter registration drive at the Mane Desk in the Hughes Trigg Student Center.
Voter registration ends in Texas on Oct. 6 and they will continue the drive until the deadline.
Olson is optimistic about this year’s drive,
“Registration this year is coming along,” she said. “We have pretty high goals, but it’s coming along slowly but surely. For SMU I think we’ll be successful by the Oct. 6th deadline.”
Students may remember the voter registration drive held last spring for the primary elections, though lessons learned from that drive have spurred some changes this time around.
“This year we’re taking a more hands-off approach because people found it a little intimidating that we had tables and registration information outside of Hughes-Trigg; people didn’t react well,” said Olson.
“Democracy Matters is basically just trying to get people to understand that their voice needs to be heard. People forget that when they are registered in their home state, especially if it’s a swing state, it’s very important that they vote absentee. We’re trying to get people to understand that their votes count and we’re trying to get them involved in it.”
On the importance of registration and voting, Olson strongly encouraged students who have not yet done so to register.
“It’s important that everyone exercises their right to vote because you have to make the system work. You need to educate yourself and take responsibility for the future. There’s a ton of information online, granted everything you get is a little biased.
“Read from both sides, read a newspaper. It’s overwhelming but it’s valuable. Make your own decisions based on what you learn. Also, there are some pretty good voting guides out there; the League of Women Voters puts out a good one,” she said.
The student organizations will be holding a final push in the registration drive on Oct. 2 at the Corporate Communications and Public Affairs-hosted vice-presidential debate watch party, providing the debate goes on as scheduled.
Democracy Matters is looking for members and welcomes all students at their weekly meetings held in Hughes-Trigg. Interested students can e-mail Ashley Olson.
