PHOTO: A vote sign placed against books in library. Photo by The Signal Reporter Aldana Reyes. — If The University of Houston-Clear Lake became a polling site the library could potentially be a voting location. Photo by The Signal reporter Aldana Reyes.

Photo by UHCL The Signal Reporter, Aldana Reyes.

COMMENTARY: Why voting on campus would lead to more students at the polls

By Aldana Reyes Last updated Oct 21, 2019 175 0

The University of Houston-Clear Lake has proven to be a great place for building successful scholars, but are college administrators doing everything they can to help students exercise their voting rights?

Every American citizen above the age of 18 is given the right to vote. This makes most college students eligible, but although they are given the right, they may not be given the added incentive that first-time voters need. This is why it is important that universities become polling locations.

There is a lot of power in the student vote. Students have the power to sway the outcome of an election. The student vote can shape economic policies. These policies include student loans and the cost to attend public colleges and universities. These are issues that will directly affect them and affect incoming students.

Education, environmental issues, health care, and social security are among the issues that impact the average college student. Many of the issues that impact the average college student are decided based on who the American people vote into office.

Unfortunately, these voters are not making it to the polls. Many miss out on the opportunity to vote as a result of their busy lifestyles. The lack of time could certainly be an issue among this group.

In addition to this, many college students are first-time voters. There are many struggles that come with being a first-time voter. Many of these voters are unaware of how or where to vote. Students may also be unsure of how to select a candidate. Institutions of higher learning are in a unique position to provide resources without swaying the voter’s vote.

Seventy to 80% of college students work, and 40% of those students work at least 30 hours a week. Aside from work, college students have to set aside time for things such as classes, homework and studying. This is without counting the responsibilities that come with the everyday life of an adult.

The average student is left with very little time at the end of their day. This is why convenience is key to a good voter turnout within this group of voters. Students spend a significant amount of time at school and colleges know this. This is why more and more campuses are using their institutional power to lead students to the polls.

For students, making UHCL a voter-friendly campus as well as a polling location would be convenient when it comes time to cast a vote, but they would not be the only ones benefiting from this. For UHCL, this could lead to building a stronger relationship with its community if college administrators extend this service to more than just the student body, faculty and staff.

Aside from this, the university could begin receiving recognitions and awards for informing students about voting and allowing them to cast their votes on campus. There are recognitions given to campuses for outstanding civic engagement.

The campus would not have to do this alone. There are organizations that help to coordinate and plan ahead of the voting dates. Campus Democracy Recognitions is an organization that provides many resources to campuses that are looking to become voting sites. They provide informational webinars and help campuses to create an action plan in advance.

If UHCL decided to become a polling location, they would be helping to increase the low percentages of students who are casting votes during election times. Students will trust in their college or university over other institutions that they are not familiar with.

Opening up UHCL as a new voting site would only be beneficial to the community. It would help with some of the overcrowding in the lines of voting sites near the campus on top of helping students exercise their civil right.

Although the student vote is increasing, a study made by The Institute of Democracy and Higher Education showed that in 2018, the percentage of college voters was very low in comparison to the rest of the population. This could change if more campuses became polling locations. UHCL has the power to use its campus as a voting location, and if college administrators decided on this they would certainly help to bring more college students to the polls.