WISPIRG ended a successful voter registration
drive on Friday. Working with the Students Vote 2006 Coalition, Oshkosh volunteers registered a grand total of 1275 students. “Students are underrepresented in the polls,” said Molly Smith, a
coalition intern. “We need to make sure that UW Oshkosh students are having
their voices heard.” Smith said that forming the coalition has made the
registration drive a success.
“Overall there has been a lot of enthusiasm from the student
body. We’re engaged in what is going on, and I think turnout in November will
reflect that,” said Smith.
Registering to vote is the first step to making sure that
students are able to vote. But the Students Vote Coalition won’t stop there.
“We’re planning to see our efforts through to Election Day by getting students
to make the pledge to vote, and holding events to educate young voters,” said
Maggie Attoe, co-chair of WISPIRG. Groups in the coalition have worked to
schedule a number of educational events, and other efforts that will make
voting easier for students at UW Oshkosh.
“We want to make sure that all students have access to
vote,” said OSA president Amanda Cone. OSA will sponsor efforts to drive
students from the Union to their polling place
on Election Day. For students who have yet to register, Cone reminds them that
students can register at their polling place on the day of elections.
Attoe said that students who want to register on Election
Day should bring their driver’s license or state ID, as well as a piece of mail
with a printed address label—such as a utility bill or a bank statement—to
prove their address. Students may also register by taking the same information
to the office of the City Clerk and registering, to avoid long lines on
Election Day.
“The important thing to remember is that every vote counts,
and every student should be voting,” says Smith. “There are important decisions
this election that shouldn’t be made without student input.
