Carolinian

Issue date: 10/9/07 Section: Campus News

Media Credit: ALEX MOIR/THE CAROLINIAN A number of student organizations were represented at Turn Up The Vote 2007, passing out information and helping students register to vote.

With voting season around the corner, political and activist clubs at UNCG have decided to begin their quest to excite students about voting. Part of that effort came to form with the second annual Turn Up The Vote voter registration drive, held Thursday on the Jackson Library lawn.

Turn Up The Vote 2007 is sponsored by many UNCG clubs, including College Democrats, College Libertarians, College Republicans, PAC, STAND, SPEAK, VOX, and UNCGreen. The clubs set up information tables to educate students about important issues being discussed for the upcoming 2008 elections.

Many students came out to change their voting precinct from their hometowns to Greensboro, while others registered for the first time.

"I decided to register today because I had yet to do it, and it was very convenient and easy," explained Sam Mackey, a freshman. "I feel like I am making a difference, while showing that young adults do care about who is in office, and that we have an amazing power to change things when we rally together."

One of the most pressing issues discussed between students at the registration tables was the war in Iraq. While some students spoke in support of troops staying in Iraq and others spoke in favor of pulling out the troops, most agreed this issue is one of the most important, and that current policies need revision.

"I will vote in the 2008 elections in hopes to change the current disaster of war that we started in Iraq," said Mackey.

Many students did not know about Turn Up The Vote 2007, but stopped by to register on their way to classes. The registration forms were short and easy to fill out, usually taking less than three minutes to finish.

"I feel that more people want to get involved and just needed this type of push to get started," said Nina Dhillon, vice president of the Political Awareness Club. "Voting is a right every American citizen has, and I feel that everyone should take advantage of this awesome right."

Many of the clubs' tables had big turnouts, some with over 20 students registering. Anyone could register at any table, regardless of political affiliation, and were assured that the party they registered with would be kept private.

"The whole point of Turn Up The Vote is to get people involved in politics and policies that affect the way they live. By having this registration drive, we were able to help people better understand the parties and what the ideologies of each were," continued Dhillon. "It was a perfect opportunity for students to figure out where they best fit in."

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