A representative of the state government visited Shippensburg University to discuss how students can learn more about voter registration through the Everyone VotesPA website, ahead of Pennsylvania’s primary election.
Everyone VotesPA is a statewide campaign spearheaded by Gov. Tom Wolf and Pedro Cortes, secretary of the commonwealth, and is the next stage of a key initiative that began last August. In this stage, the state is partnering with Pennsylvania Campus Compact and the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education, after discovering that the largest group of newly registered voters are 17 to 25 years old.
Melissa A. Frey, special assistant to Secretary Pedro Cortes, was the key speaker of the evening and said Everyone VotesPA is a website with educational value that anyone on campus can take advantage of, including professors. Having this easy accessibility to register could motivate more people to participate come Election Day, according to Frey.
SU student Jensen Gibson said she is not registered to vote and has no plans to do so because she does not believe her vote could change anything.
“Your voice is your vote,” Frey said. “Whatever’s happening in your area is really important so it’s good to get involved now and set a habit for the future.”
Frey said that voters who did not previously have an interest in voting may feel more confident and willing to participate after having their questions answered.
“[Voting] is one of the most important rights we have,” Frey said. “Everyone has the resources to participate in deciding who you want to represent you.”
Frey said that many unregistered voters are not aware that they do not necessarily need identification to vote. They are eligible for a paper provisional ballot as a last resort if they are not registered or are lacking proper identification materials.
College students also have the option of applying for an absentee ballot if they cannot make it to their appointed polling place. Absentee ballots are available for members of the military, anyone suffering from a physical disability or illness, or individuals who may have a conflict due to any type of religious celebration.
After discussing the voting process and the requirements for registering to vote, Frey presented an interactive quiz to test the audience on its knowledge of the rights they have as a voter. Throughout the evening, students could tweet their reactions with the hashtag #ShipVotesPA. At the end of the presentation, Frey opened up the floor to questions from the audience.
SU student Brianna Petitti had questions about absentee ballots for college students, and said that trying to get through the process had been frustrating and time consuming as a student who originated from Delaware.
“You have to go online and the paperwork takes 10 to 15 minutes, then you have to go to a notary to have it notarized,” Petitti said. “You really have to go out of your way for it, and it’s probably not worth it.”
The deadline to register to vote for Pennsylvania’s April 26 primary election is March 28, and Oct. 11 for the general election. A booth was set up in SU’s Ceddia Union Building on March 18 at noon to further assist SU students with the voter registration process.
Anyone who was unable to attend the presentation or who has additional questions can visit the Everyone VotesPA website at www.votespa.com.
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