With the election coming up November 5, the League of Women Voters of Ohio is hitting the road as part of an effort to get college students to vote as part of a statewide tour, it’s calling “Your Voice, Your Vote, Your Power,”.
“We have 20 colleges and universities in every corner of the state,” said Jen Miller, executive director of the league in Ohio. “We’re registering voters and helping students apply for absentee ballots.”
The league is crisscrossing the state in a red and blue travel trailer stocked with games and snacks. During campus visits, students will be able to get information on voting, register to vote and apply for an absentee ballot.
“Ohio lags behind some of our neighboring states for turnout among college students and youth,” Miller said. “This is a nonpartisan effort to get young people registered and to increase enthusiasm about voting in general.”
According to a study conducted by Tufts University, 21.6% of people 18-to-29 voted in the 2022 midterm elections.
“We know that young people are often confused about voting logistics and that’s why it’s so important to have programs like this,” Miller said. “We’re making sure their registration is up to date and that they have a voting plan so that their voice is heard this fall.”
In Northeast Ohio, the league’s travel trailer has already made stops at Oberlin College, Cleveland State University and Baldwin Wallace University. Miller said that the trailer's arrival at each campus was met with excitement.
“The enthusiasm has been significant,” Miller said. “We’re incredibly excited to see young people interested in making their voices heard through voting because this is their Ohio. We want to make sure their voices are heard this election process and that starts by registering to vote, but also knowing other logistics like what they need or how to apply for an absentee ballot.”
Miller believes that it’s extremely important for young people to vote.
“Democracy works best when we all participate,” Miller said. “We know that young people have unique experiences and unique concerns, whether it’s education funding or environmental policies. We want to make sure that young people are a part of this electoral process because voting is a way of making sure that their interests are being heard.”
The deadline to register to vote in the 2024 election is Oct. 7.
Upcoming tour dates
· Oct. 3 - Ohio University
· Oct. 4 - Youngstown State University
· Oct. 7 -Kent State