By Dorothy Augustyniak
Daily Bruin Contributor
Hoping to boost the number of youth votes in the upcoming March
primary election, four campus groups have joined together and are
holding a voter registration drive on Bruin Walk and in Bruin
Plaza.
The Bruin Democrats, the Republican Leadership Council, the
Undergraduate Students Association Council’s office of the
external vice president and CALPIRG’s Youth Vote Campaign
have joined together aiming towards the college community to
participate in democracy.
The last day to register to vote in the elections is
Tuesday.
“To influence and shape the world around us, college
students must register to vote and take an active part in the
democratic process,” said Katy Drake, the president of Bruin
Democrats in a statement.
“Voting is one of the most powerful ways to make your
voice heard,” said Katy Proudfoot, a member of the CALPRIG
Youth Vote. Ever since the 26th amendment lowered the national
voting age to 18 in 1971, the percentage of youths voting has
steadily declined.
In the last few national elections, the number of people ages
18-24 who voted was about 20 percent, according to a statement from
CALPIRG, and the percentages of those who voted in local elections
were even lower.
CALPIRG and the EVP’s office are currently working to make
voter registration more accessible to students.
Along with the voter registration drive, they have worked to get
cards attached to receipts in the textbook store.
Another strategy in increasing the youth population and
strengthening the democracy, the Youth Vote Coalition believes, is
having a televised gubernatorial debate where students will be
asking the politicians questions.
A forum was recently held by the Bruin Democrats which was
constituted of local political and university leaders discussing
issues in education.
In addition, the Republican Leadership Council has been in the
process of educating students on the merits of their party, all the
while encouraging college students to vote.
“America is only as great as the people who participate in
it,” said Jason De Son, president of the Republican
Leadership Council. “The right to vote is fundamental to our
freedom and it is essential to the success of our
nation.”