Two years ago, getting college students to vote was easy. With a charismatic figure gunning for the White House, they turned out in droves, riding a wave of enthusiasm that had them thinking anything was possible, that positive change can happen.
But this election season is a different matter entirely. There is no national figure to rally around. And the dominant mood this time around is more disappointment than the unbridled optimism of 2008.
Voting, however, is still important. And the Minnesota Secretary of State’s Office hopes a series of voter education initiatives will get voters, especially first-time voters, the information they need to fulfill their civic duty.
They’re planning an event Tuesday at Minnesota State Mankato's Memorial Library that will focus on first-timers but is really intended for anyone — students and non-students — who need information about voting or are unsure about the process.
For Claire Wilson, voting outreach director for the Secretary of State’s Office, education begins by simply making themselves available.
The office holds voter registration drives and tries to answer questions people have about voting. In the case of college students, the questions are predominantly about residency requirements -- where they reside, whether to use their home address or school address.
The most important message, Wilson says, is simply to vote. Brett Anderson, vice president of Minnesota State Mankato's Student Senate, agrees.
Beyond the issues of the day, Anderson says it’s a good idea while in college to establish the right habits.
For the complete Free Press story, click on http://mankatofreepress.com/local/x996061571/Voter-outreach-focuses-on-first-timers
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