As the 2020 election inches closer, Drury’s Student Government Association (SGA) is working to increase voting resources available to students on campus. The “Initiative to Increase Student Voter Participation” was released in October with a discussion opening on the proposal in September.

Explaining the initiative

The opening statement of the initiative states that SGA “holds firm the notion that exercising the right to vote is the civic duty of every eligible American citizen.”

The possibility of canceling classes on election day is only a piece of the plan. With the initiative, SGA aims to assist students in registering to vote, providing neutral information on candidates, helping students get to and from polls and aiding students in casting absentee ballots for those not registered in Greene County.

“When the idea was brought forward, some research was already done on it,” SGA Senator Nick Rauscher said. “There was a report done that… included a list of universities that were already [adapting similar initiatives]. A lot of them were state universities, but I know that Rutgers University has done it. One of the documents I was using was their actual resolution that they had drafted and that had passed. Their resolution was to do it repeatedly every four years.”

“We’re opening to considering other election cycles, but at this point in time, we are concerned with the four-year national presidential elections. Those are the ones we have data polled for at this time,” said Rauscher.

Two polling stations are already located close to Drury’s campus. For most students registered with their Drury address, votes can be cast at the Elections Center at 1126 N. Booneville Ave. For some students in College Park and Summit Park, their polling location is at 1475 N. Washington Ave. Missouri State University also hosts a central polling location where all registered Greene County voters may cast a ballot, regardless of their precinct.

(Photo via unsplash.com)

The big picture

The initiative will largely be decided by the administration. The possibility of canceling classes, for example, is a decision that rests with the Leadership Team of the university.

“As far as looking for ways to help people cast absentee ballots, that will be something that SGA votes to put its resources towards,” Rauscher said. “I don’t think it will be something that will be popularly voted on [by the student body].”

Voter turnout among the college-age population is one of the lowest. According to data compiled in the initiative’s publication, in the 2008 national election, 51 percent of eligible voters ages 18-29 arrived at the voting booths. In 2016, this number was down to 44 percent.

“We’re voting less than other age groups. It’s getting worse. It’s dropped every time,” Rauscher explained.

The goal of the initiative is to boost turnout and reduce factors that may prevent students from voting in the first place.

“In the ways that we’re proposing, I think that it really demonstrates that… we’re not making it difficult for you to go anymore,” said Rauscher. “It’s not that we need to make it easy, it’s that we need to remove some of the barriers that are not necessary.”

Written by Maclen Johnson.