By Brianna Brinker, Staff Writer
On Nov. 5, a new President of the United States will be selected. The candidates running are Donald Trump for the Republican Party and Kamala Harris for the Democratic Party. The candidate who has the most Electoral College votes will be the new President of the United States.
At Saint Leo University, there are many 18 to 24-year-olds who will be voting this year for the first time. With this being said, sometimes it is hard as a young adult to know who to vote for or how to vote.
With the election right around the corner, Saint Leo University has various ways to prepare students for the voting season.
Saint Leo has political clubs such as Saint Leo University College Republicans of America, Saint Leo Student Government Union, and the Political Science Honors Society. These clubs host events that show students how to be involved in the presidential election and introduce them to the idea that voting in presidential elections is important.
The Saint Leo University College Republicans of America club hosts voting registration events and are planning to host an election night watch party on Nov. 5.
On Sept. 13, the Student Government Union sponsored an event called, “Election Palooza” with the Town of Saint Leo to educate students on how to vote.
Professor Christina Cazanave, instructor of the Undergraduate Social Work Program, describes an event that recently happened in preparation for the election.
“This past Spring, the social work department held a Civic Engagement Day that over 80 SLU students attended. During the day, community partners like the Campus Vote Project talked to students about how they could get involved in the upcoming elections,” said Cazanave.
Campaigns at Saint Leo also hold an importance as we prepare for the upcoming election. The “Why Vote?” Campaign, which is sponsored by the Department of Social Work, was able to help register students on Sept. 24, National Voter Registration Day.
Also, State Representative Susan Valdes came to speak to students at Saint Leo University about voting and its importance this past spring.
Professors also play a huge role in students’ lives and are great educators when it comes to politics and helping students vote for the first time. They have plenty of experience with voting and are happy to teach students about it.
Dr. Austin Trantham, Assistant Professor of political science and Debate Club Faculty Advisor, shared information on how professors at Saint Leo prepare students for the upcoming election.
“Saint Leo professors are passionate about ensuring that students are informed about the upcoming election and its significance for our country,” said Dr. Trantham.
This past fall, as part of the Constitution Day’s Celebration, several faculty members answered the important question: Does your vote count?
“The discussion included thoughts on the Electoral College, voter registration and suppression, and local political engagement. The students in attendance asked very thought-provoking questions to the faculty panelists, and everyone enjoyed participating in an enlightening and engaging dialogue,” said Dr. Trantham.
Students on campus are also encouraging other students to vote this year.
Emily Shute, President of the Political Science Honors Society, and Colleen Kester, Vice President, are proud to explain the events they have hosted and plan to host involving the presidential election.
“So far this semester, we have hosted the presidential and vice-presidential debates, encouraging people to learn about the candidates and policies. We plan to host a voting booth the week before the election to see who Saint Leo University is voting for and what issues are most important to voters,” said Shute and Kester.
Shute and Kester explained that the purpose of these events is to get students involved during election season, to get them thinking of who they want to be their next President, and to get them to vote on Nov. 5.
Saint Leo encourages these clubs because they want to educate students who are unsure about voting to help them feel more comfortable with voting, explained Shute and Kester.
“Also, while giving us the opportunity to spread awareness by hosting events and being accommodating to us to be able to make a platform to encourage students to vote,” Shute and Kester continued.
If you are interested in voting in the presidential election, there are assigned polling locations depending on your location, or you can request an absentee ballot, which allows you to vote by mail. There are instructions on how to fill out your ballot and how to return your ballot.
On Election Day, the polling locations are open from 7:00AM-7:00PM. Dr. Cazanaveencourages students to take the time to vote because every vote counts.
“Gen Z and millennials are on track to outpace the older generations at the voting booth if they come out to vote. What would the world look like if their voices became the majority. Exciting to think about,” said Dr. Cazanave.
Saint Leo University prepares the students of Saint Leo for this voting season, with many campaigns, clubs, events, and professor advice available to all students. The Lions of Saint Leo University are ready to vote in the Presidential Election of 2024.
1 Comment
I love it that Saint Leo university is educating our younger people about world political affairs and getting the young people to voice there opinion with voting for politicians.