Power U and University Student Senate promote voter registration

Power U and the University Student Senate have joined forces to promote voter registration through tabling efforts around campus. 

Katy Green ’21, a member of Power U, said the organization has been tabling to help provide students with information about voting. 

“We started tabling in Campion with Student Senate,” Green said. “We’re just trying to make sure people are registered. [We’re] trying to give them information on how they can register and get their ballot to them.” 

Katie Sellars ’21, another member of Power U, discussed the importance of voting at the local level through the midterm elections. 

“There are important things that you need to be engaged in on a community level and that’s something that St. Joe’s really focuses on,” Sellars said. “Getting involved with the greater community and voting is a really important way of doing that.” 

Elaine Estes ’19, speaker of Student Senate, talked about the different resources that the Student Senate is using to help people register. 

One of those resources is vote.org, which allows people from different states to check their registration status or go through the registration process.

Estes said it is important for Student Senate to engage in conversation about voter registration on campus. 

“By being a student government organization, we engage in the experience of putting a platform forward and asking students to vote for us,” Estes said. “I think that’s why we felt equipped to run a voting drive because we have that personal experience with government.” 

Sellars said that voter registration is an important first step to voting and getting your voice heard. 

“Voter registration, it’s the first deadline of the many deadlines of getting yourself to vote,” Sellars said. “You can’t do those other parts if you haven’t done this first part.” 

 Sellars invites people who have not registered to vote to stop by the tables set up in Campion Student Center, as well as at the back of the 7 p.m. mass at the Chapel of Saint Joseph.

“We’re tabling Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and we are at the back of the 7 p.m. mass every week until Oct. 9,” Sellars said. “[Oct. 9] is the deadline, so that is the last possible day to register.” 

Green encourages people to get their friends to register to vote by asking a simple question and engaging in conversation. 

“If you are registered, call some of your closest friends,” Green said. “Find five people who you feel comfortable asking if they’re registered and if they’re not, help them through the steps. It’s really easy to go online and find information.”