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Students turn out for registration week

CalPIRG's booth in Haan Plaza attracts more than 1,000 voters.

Katelyn Johnson

Media Credit: Jonathan Wong | Daily Trojan Rock the Registration | Students register to vote on Trousdale before the Feb. 4 California primary.

Campus organizations' final attempt to register students to vote before the California primary deadline ended Tuesday, with more than 500 students registering on Tuesday alone.

CalPIRG, which hosted Tuesday's registration drive, stationed itself near Tommy Trojan on the first day of classes this semester.

It paid off, as CalPIRG reached its goal of registering more than 1,000 voters during the weeklong drive.

The convenience of registering to vote on campus enticed many students.

"I probably would've made an effort to register elsewhere, but this is just so much more convenient," said Lindsay Sugimoto, a freshman majoring in business administration. "It definitely makes people more inclined to vote."

Other students who had previously registered, however, said they appreciated CalPIRG's efforts.

"I registered to vote before I came to college, so I didn't need to use CalPIRG," said Lisa Fugere, a sophomore majoring in English. "It's nice that they make it easier to vote, though."

Registering students on the first day of classes brought challenges to the drive, said CalPIRG New Voters Project Coordinator Shena Popat, a sophomore majoring in health promotions and economics.

"In 2006, we had more time to organize volunteers and to get the word out," Popat said. "But this year, we had to start right on the first day of classes in order to have enough time. It made it more difficult, but I'm still happy with how it turned out."

Tuesday's weather also impacted the turnout of students who registered.

"It's drizzling a little bit, but we're going to be out here rain or shine because we think it's important," said CalPIRG volunteer Ruchika Gupta, a junior majoring in international relations.

Despite the weather, CalPIRG volunteers said students were eager to register.

"I'm really excited," said Elise Running, an undecided freshman who registered to vote Tuesday. "It's my first time voting, and I just think it's important because every voice counts."

Youth voters are becoming more politically involved after long being considered to be apathetic towards politics.

Between the presidential elections of 2000 and 2004, turnout of voters ages 18 to 24 increased 11 percent, the largest increase for any age group, according to the Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning & Engagement.

Many experts attribute this increase to more direct attention toward youth voters by presidential candidates and the media. For instance, both YouTube and Facebook have sponsored debates this year in an attempt to reach younger voters.

Candidates are responding to the young voters by discussing issues that affect them, such as the war in Iraq and affordable college loans.

"I think candidates are changing their tactics to try to reach our audience," Sugimoto said. "They're using new means of communication to get us out to vote."

With many candidates employing youth coordinators, many young voters are more aware of the different candidates and their respective policies.

"Part of the reason I registered to vote in the primaries is because I've been researching more about the candidates and I feel more informed," Running said.

Popat said, "The primaries are going to be very interesting and crazy and people really just want to have more of a voice."

CalPIRG said their volunteers are motivated by the chance youth voters have at influencing the election.

"We're just out talking to our peers and trying to get them excited to vote, just like we are," Gupta said.

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