This year MSU is encouraging students to register to vote with a volunteer-run registration drive from 5-7 p.m. Thursday in Akers, Brody, Shaw, Snyder-Phillips and Wilson halls.

The volunteers will be available to answer questions, provide information and take registration forms, which cannot be completed online because they require a signature. If it’s not possible to stop by one of the participating residence halls during the registration drive, make sure to register before the Oct. 9 deadline.

Everyone who registers in East Lansing by this date will be eligible to vote in this year’s local election on Nov. 6, and all voters registered in Michigan will be able to vote in the Michigan presidential primaries, scheduled for Jan. 15.

If you’re registered to vote in your home town, don’t forget to drive home or vote as an absentee — www.youvote.msu.edu has information about requesting absentee ballots.

However, every MSU student should consider registering to vote here in East Lansing. Most students live here for at least four years, and the issues facing East Lansing will likely affect students more than issues in their home towns.

This November, three City Council candidates, including the mayor’s seat, will be up for election in East Lansing.

The City Council chooses East Lansing’s mayor and deals with issues like parking, noise violations and parties, law enforcement, ticketing and public services.

MSU chose a great time to kick off a voter registration drive, with the upcoming local elections and impending presidential primaries.

However, the university should spread the word about voting better — every MSU student received an e-mail about the upcoming drive and the Web site, but an e-mail isn’t enough.

To really get students’ attention, MSU should be putting up posters and sending phone messages, similar to MSU head coach Mark Dantonio’s reminder to buy football tickets.

Now is the time to register to vote and get into the habit of voting for every election. Before voting, make sure to read up on the issues so you can make informed, responsible voting decisions.

It’s easy to complain about city policies on issues like noise violations and student-resident relations, but now is the time to put the right people in office instead of just complaining.

The 18- to 25-year-old voting age group is known for being apathetic and uninvolved in the democratic process, and it’s time to change that. Register, get to know the candidates and issues, and show up at the polls on Election Day — a successful democracy can’t exist without you.