ASG registers 711 new voters on campus, beats goal mark

With the presidential race in full swing, the Associated Student Government (ASG) played a role in getting MHCC students registered to vote.

ASG President William Miller said many politicians believe students do not care about issues and are unaware of how the decisions that are made effect them. However, this is not true because students are the most affected by financial aid decreases, tuition hikes and the mounting cost of pursuing a post-secondary education, he said.

“Students are a very important part of a politician’s constituency and we want to dispel the myth that students are not voting. (That is) not possible if we do not continue to encourag student voter turnout across the state,” said Miller.

ASG has worked since the start of the term to inform students about voting and get them registered. They have shown presidential and vice-presidential debates in the Student Union, and have had all student government members visit classes and host tables in the Main Mall and across the campus to target students.

The number of new registered voters has hit around 711 this fall term, with the goal set at 500, the ASG reports.

Laura Aguon, ASG director of state and federal affairs said, “Our goal was right on par with what we needed to do… This term’s (registration effort) was not a staffed event, there was no full-time OSA (Oregon Student Association) employee, it was completely student-run.”

“Last spring term, we got 805 registered voters with an OSA employee. This term we did 711 voters without an OSA employee. That’s no small feat,” said Aguon.

The Student Voter program started in 1993 with the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA), signed into law by President Clinton. The Act requires states to offer voter registration at motor vehicle departments, disability centers, public libraries and public schools.

Political parties were hoping that the NVRA would reduce racial disparities in participation by reaching minorities, low-income earners and individuals reluctant to vote.

Then, in 1998 with the federal Higher Education Act, colleges and universities were required to distribute hard copies of voter registration forms to students prior to their state’s registration deadline.
That requirement for colleges and universities applies to all federal and gubernatorial elections, and special elections. Voter registration forms also are now commonly available via the Internet for downloading and printing.