Oklahoma students who have not yet registered to vote in the upcoming election will have the opportunity to do so at the annual Voter Registration Drive picnic.
The picnic will help students register to be able to vote during the upcoming presidential election in November.
“This is something we do every year, but I feel like it’s especially important this year since it is an election year,” said Levi Harrel, assistant director of student development.
The picnic will be from 5-7 p.m. Sept. 6 on the quad. The caf will be closed and a free dinner will be served on the lawn during the picnic.
Voter registration forms will be available to fill out for Oklahoma residents and information on how to register for out of state residents will also be available. Students from out of state need to complete an absentee ballot to cast their votes. Register to vote by Oct. 14 to meet the deadline to vote in the presidential election.
Only 17 percent of 18 to 24-year-olds cast a ballot in the 2014 election and nearly two million didn’t know how or where to register, according to campusvoteproject.org.
The top candidates for this election are Donald Trump for the Republican Party, Hillary Clinton for the Democratic Party, Gary Johnson for the Libertarian Party, and Jill Stein for the Green Party.
Students can fill out forms at the event for mailing or take them home and bring them back to Harrel no later than Oct. 7.
Nathan Moelling, history senior, said this is a convenient way to get registered.
“I am actually not yet registered to vote and I will probably take the opportunity to do it here because it’s so convenient,” he said.
Emails and fliers with more information about the drive will be sent out to students before the event.
“This is something that is not only topically engaging, but also socially engaging,” Harrel said. “It is still summer and it’s beautiful outside. The sense of community developed during the picnic is really awesome.”
Leave a Reply