In honor of National Voter Registration Day, The Michael O. Leavitt Center for Politics and Public Service helped Southern Utah University students complete their voter registration. The center tabled outside of their office in the Sharwan Smith Student Center room 112 on Tuesday, Sept. 28 from 8am-5pm for their voter registration event.
The Leavitt Center’s goal was to emphasize the importance of voting and to get as many students registered to vote as possible. Even if students were not registered during the event, the Leavitt Center gave students the tools to go home and complete the registration form on their own.
Leavitt Center Executive council member Carson Brown explained how the University could have a big impact on local politics through voting.
“If the university students register to vote, they will be able to participate in the Cedar City Election,” Brown said. “Town and gown politics could be very prominent for Cedar City if more students registered.”
SUU represents about 32.85% of Cedar City’s 38,304 inhabitants, so university students could influence much of Cedar City’s politics such as housing, public transportation, zoning and other issues by voting in the Cedar City Council Election by Nov. 2, 2021. However, Generation Z’s political participation is lower than any other generation.
“Very few adults from Generation Z are involved formally,” Brown said. “If Gen-Z becomes more involved politically, they have the potential to be the most outspoken and informed generation.”
Brown explained that voter registration is fairly simple: applicants can either register with the Leavitt Center for Cedar City, Utah or sign up to receive mail-in ballots from their home city.
If you are interested in registering to vote check out Utah Voter Registration. The Leavitt Center also helps students register to vote in their office in room 112 in the Sharwan Smith Student Center. The center will also be hosting future events which can be found on their website.
Story by: Danielle Meuret News@suunews.net
Photo by: Element5 digital on unsplash
