Legislative Affairs Committee and Madison Student Vote Coalition have registered more than 2,100 students for the upcoming November elections as of Wednesday through an Associated Students of Madison campaign.
“As ASM, we have registered almost half of all voters in Madison, that’s incredible,” Student Council Chair Genevieve Carter said at a Wednesday meeting. “Snaps and claps for all those who have been involved.”
The Voter Registration Education Awareness campaign is a large effort to register students to vote, according to Legislative Affairs Chair Tom Gierok. The campaign also helps to educate and prevent confusion among students on voting policies, especially with the voter ID law in effect.
According to Legislative Affairs Vice Chair Brad Peltin, under the new voter ID law, registered voters must pick up voter ID cards at Union South if they do not have a Wisconsin driver’s license or U.S. passport. He stressed that a Wiscard is not an ID equivalent and will not be accepted at the polls.
The campaign held many different registration drive events around campus to try to increase student awareness as well as register voters.
“Our voter registration has been very effective, from talking on East Campus Mall to Bascom Hill to the unions to tabling on campus nearly every day,” Peltin said. “Students have really begun to take notice and we have received numerous requests from students and from faculty for more literature and more voter registration packets.”
Gierok said the next portion of the campaign will encourage students to get to the polls and vote.
“The last day to [register early] is Oct. 15, but just to reiterate that’s not the end our campaign, so there still is the second portion, Get Up and Vote campaign,” Rep. Jessica Franco-Morales said.
ASM plans to have more registration events before the early registration deadline. After that deadline, students will either have to register at the city clerk’s office or at the polls.
“We really want to encourage students to register with us ahead of time so they do not have to worry about any issues at the polls,” Peltin said.
