With the November election less than two months away, the push to educate students about ballot issues and candidates is evident.
On Sept. 5, the MSU community received e-mails from Dr. Lee June, Vice President of Student Affairs and Services, encouraging students to register with the Michigan Secretary of State and to access an election database called YouVote.msu.edu.
YouVote began its 2006 Voter Registration Drive by stationing the Secretary of State's mobile office on campus prior to Saturday's football game.
Before the game, Shalane Walker, a YouVote assistant, estimated that 40-50 people registered at the mobile office van.
The mobile office allows students to register in their hometown and vote by absentee ballot while at school.
Michigan election law doesn't allow first-time voters to vote absentee after registering by mail, however students who register in person can vote by absentee ballot.
"Students can still vote absentee, it is only in rare cases that students have to travel back to their hometowns to vote," Walker said. "The resources are available, students don't use those resources, however."
The Web site offers frequently asked questions about registering, absentee ballots, changing addresses, gubernatorial candidate, issues and information on potential presidential candidates for 2008.
David Dodds, the mobile office manager, said he travels about 10,000 miles a year throughout Michigan to register voters.
"We try to visit as many campuses as possible, especially during an election year," Dodds said. "Two years ago we registered about 1,700 students."
ASMSU, MSU's undergraduate student government, will help to promote voter education by listing surveys of candidates on VoteSmart MSU! — a Web site that shows state races, candidates and ballot issues.
"It will focus more on the state's House and Senate, whereas YouVote focuses more on proposals, (the gubernatorial) election and the Secretary of State," said Donald Wasserman, assistant director of governmental affairs-voter affairs for ASMSU.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 47 percent of citizens between the ages of 18 and 24 voted in the 2004 elections and 58 percent of citizens from the same age group registered to vote.
However, young adults had the lowest voting and registration rates in 2004 of all age groups, despite having the largest increase in both rates since the 2000 presidential election compared with other age groups.
The U.S. Census Bureau listed 44 percent of citizens in the 18-24 age group were not interested enough in the election or politics to vote.
"Turnout will increase this year because of proposals that affect students like the MCRI (Michigan Civil Rights Initiative)," Walker said. "The impact is just enough to affect students and encourage them to vote."
