Students in the U.S. have the ability to exercise their rights, opinions and voice through the freedom to vote. The final push to exercise such a freedom began Tuesday, National Voter Registration Day.
People around the country will complete their paperwork Tuesday in order to place their vote in the upcoming elections. Kristin Roe of the Brazos County voter registration office said there are several ways to complete the registration process.
The simplest thing for the students to do is to go to the Secretary of States website and fill out an application, Roe said. Then they can mail that application in.
Roe said voter registration forms can be found in the Memorial Student Center and at the voter drives that will be sponsored by the Student Senate in upcoming weeks.
The deadline to register to vote in the November elections is Oct. 9. The application must be postmarked by this date for it to be processed. Full-time students at Texas A&M can register to vote in their home counties or in Brazos County. Students living in the dorm can list their dorm name and room number as their physical address within the county.
Roe said she is a proponent of going to the polls and stressed the importance of voting.
Our entire country is based on the concept of, were in charge, Roe said. If you dont vote, youre letting other people make decisions that impact you on a daily basis.
Libby Seeley, sophomore business major, said she was not yet registered to vote, but that she was planning on it and finds it vital to express that right.
We have a say, we have the right to vote, Seeley said. Its important not to take that for granted.
Melesa Cook, senior accounting major, said she believes it is very important for students to understand that they bring an important and unique perspective to the country.
Were the future, Cook said. The way we think is a little different.
Roe also said it was important to remember to not simply focus on national elections. Local government can directly and indirectly impact students in the form of taxes and ordinances. The local political parties can be contacted for more information on candidates.
As some students are voting for the first time, Roe said it was critical to learn all the facts in order to make informed decisions.