As the deadline for voter registration approaches, the New Mexico Public Interest Research Group is assisting UNM students with filling out registration cards, in hopes of increasing turnout for this year’s presidential elections.
NMPIRG is an organization that is working with the Associated Students of UNM, to help students have easier access to voting registration.
“It is important to have resources like NMPIRG on campus, so that UNM could have that level of engagement to help students register to vote,” said Nathan Cowan, executive director of Governmental Affairs for ASUNM.
Cowan said that a couple of months ago NMPIRG reached out to ASUNM, and the two decided to merge volunteers and resources.
“We are trying to make it easy and trying to empower students so that they can make their voice heard for issues that matter most to them,” said Hannah Perkins, program organizer.
Perkins said college campuses are the main focus for NMPIRG because it is 18 to 24 year olds who tend to have a low voter turnout rate.
This year the program has close to 50 active volunteers on Main Campus every day from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. until Oct. 11, she said.
NMPIRG volunteers also visit classrooms and dorms on campus to ensure students are aware of the resources available, Perkins said, and each volunteer has voter registration cards that people can fill out.
Once complete, the registration card is given to the County Clerk’s Office by NMPIRG and the person is then registered to vote.
Isabella Del Frate, NMPIRG volunteer, emphasized the importance behind helping the younger generation vote, because the more young individuals who vote, the more politicians will include their voice in their policies.
“I wanted to get involved in something, and seeing everything change in politics this year made me realize that everyone has a voice and should have an opportunity to vote, which is why I volunteered with NMPIRG,” Del Frate said.
Students who registered on Tuesday expressed the importance of voting.
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“The fact that we are able to have an election is huge...in some countries you do not have a say who runs your country,” said Lindsey Anders, a freshman emergency medical services major. “This year’s election is a turning point for America — things are either going to go really good or really bad.”
As for those in the younger generation who don’t take the effort to register, they can only blame themselves for the outcome, she said.
“If you do not vote, then you cannot complain about what happens to our country,” Anders said.
Del Frate explained that the reason why voter turnout rates were lower among those aged 18 to 24 is because most adults register at the DMV because “it is easy.”
“Most people get their driver’s license at 16 or 17 years old, and the age to be able to vote is 18, so that creates an age gap for voting ,“ Del Frate said. ”You usually don’t go back to renew your license until you are 21.”
Some students were uneasy about giving their personal information to NMPIRG, including their social security numbers and addresses, and therefore, hesitated to register.
Del Frate stressed that every volunteer is monitored with fail safes to make sure personal information is protected.
“Volunteers have an ID on each voter registration card so the government knows who is accountable, to prevent voter fraud. You also have to have a permit to help people to register to vote,” Del Frate said.
She said for those reluctant to give out their information in person, they can instead register online at studentvote.org, “if they would rather do it privately.”
Some students also felt dissatisfied with the Republican and Democratic candidates, and were not sure how to choose between the two, Del Frate said.
“More young people found that voting for third parties might be the answer,” Del Frate said. “This interest in third parties is especially different from previous years.”
Whether voting Democratic, Republican or for a third party candidate, it doesn’t matter, Del Frate said.
“Every vote counts,” she said.
Megan Nyce is a news reporter for the Daily Lobo. She can be reached at news@dailylobo.com or on Twitter @Megznham.
