Media arts and technology freshman Amanda Marion fills out her voter registration information on Wednesday at the Ann Street Plaza with members of YouVote. The group is working towards getting more MSU students registered to vote in time for the November elections.
Under tents decorated with red, white and blue balloons, packaging sophomore Kelsey O’Keefe signed her name on her voter registration application, planning to vote in the Nov. 2 general election.
O’Keefe was one of numerous students who registered for a ballot at an event Wednesday afternoon at Ann Street Plaza, on the corner of Ann and Charles streets, through YouVote, MSU’s non-partisan voting initiative.
The final day to register to vote in the November elections is Monday.
“I should have registered to vote a year ago,” O’Keefe said. “I don’t follow voting that much, and I feel like it’s about time that I should … I want to vote in the election on Nov. 2.”
The university is required by the state to have an organization to encourage student voting, said graduate student Michael Zaborowski, a YouVote coordinator.
YouVote is supported by the MSU Governmental Affairs office to fulfill this obligation.
Wednesday’s event allowed students to register to vote in East Lansing or elsewhere in the state. Additionally, students could pick up absentee voter applications and learn more about the voting process. Whether students choose to register at their hometown address, or in East Lansing, is a personal decision, Zaborowski said.
“YouVote is specifically for the education and participation of students and voters,” Zaborowski said. “We just want them to vote. We don’t care where they vote, we just want them to participate.”
East Lansing City Clerk Nicole Evans also was available to help students register in East Lansing and answer questions about the polls. Early in the event, she said she was pleased by the preliminary turnout.
“Every vote counts and I think it’s part of (students’) responsibility to be able to voice their opinion,” Evans said. “I’m glad to know that people are interested in registering to vote and doing the right thing, whether they want to register here or register back home.”
Zaborowski said after Wednesday’s event, YouVote’s next goal is to add information about the candidates running for office in the November election to its website, youvote.msu.edu.
“What we’re trying to do is give … information (to) those people who say, ‘Well, I don’t vote because I don’t know who to vote for,’” Zaborowski said. “Our next initiative after the event is to get stuff up on the website (about) what candidates are available from every party we can possibly find.”
Preveterinary freshman Elliot Zirulnik, who registered at YouVote, said he came to the event because he originally attempted to register by mail at his home address, but never received his form. Instead, Zirulnik said he decided to register in East Lansing.
“I think it’s really important to vote, and I just turned 18 and I’m really excited about voting,” Zirulnik said.
“It’s a lot more convenient to have (registration) right here.”
Anyone still interested in registering to vote can visit the East Lansing Secretary of State office, 400 Albert Ave., before Monday.
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