Universities should provide more voting information to students
When I first committed to USC, making a plan to vote was the last thing on my mind. Amid a whirlwind of family celebrations, graduation parties and congratulations cards, the word “voting” never entered my train of thought. Even during the process of moving from Wisconsin to California, as I sorted out the logistics of car insurance and healthcare, I never considered the intricacies of voting as an out-of-state student until the absentee ballot that I requested never came in the mail.
As an institution of higher education, USC must make a more genuine effort to encourage and educate students about voting. Not only would this effort promote hands-on learning through civic engagement, but it would also help empower students to make their voices heard during election season. As a university, part of USC’s role is to teach students skills and knowledge that will empower them to pursue their academic and professional goals in the future — voting falls into this category.
According to the National Study of Learning, Voting and Engagement, USC had a voter turnout of 45.4% in 2018. This number reflects the number of eligible voters at USC who voted in the 2018 midterm elections. While this number is above the national average of 39.1% for all institutions, there is still room for improvement.
Right now, USC offers information on voter registration through the USC Communities website. This website includes a link that takes users to voter registration paperwork and a list of important deadlines for California residents to follow as a reference. The website also includes an in-person poll locator, but this feature also only applies to local California residents.
Having a website is the bare minimum. While the information provided on this webpage is accessible and accurate — making it extremely helpful for first-time voters in the Southern California area — it’s missing information for USC’s large out-of-state population. Almost half of USC’s student population is from out of state, and navigating the often purposefully tricky voter registration websites of one’s state is not always an easy task for newly independent teenagers. In order to help bridge the voting accessibility gap within its population, USC should expand the information it provides by offering more links and in-person resources for out-of-state students.
Every state has a different voting process, and they don’t all follow the same procedures as California. This variance can make it challenging for students unfamiliar with voting to acquire an absentee ballot through sole reliance on the information that USC currently provides. An increase in voting education on and around campus can help alleviate some of the hurdles that prevent students from voting, and it is a plausible and easy solution that USC can implement. Informational stands in prominent campus locations or online information sessions could greatly impact student awareness and education by providing opportunities to interact with knowledgeable individuals. These kinds of initiatives would get students involved and make them aware of the fact that it is still possible to vote outside of their state.
It is also important to consider that USC hosts students from a wide variety of economic backgrounds. This economic gap often manifests itself in the form of wealth inequality, but it can also manifest through other avenues, with voting knowledge and accessibility being one. By prioritizing more on-campus voting initiatives and improved online information, USC could potentially reach students who may not have been heavily exposed to the voting process during high school.
Pushing students to vote would act as an introduction to independence and accountability while away from home. After all, universities are hubs of education and learning, so it only makes sense to put effort into expanding that learning outside of the classroom setting and into real-life situations.
This is not to say that USC must hold its students’ hands throughout their time in school and focus its resources solely on teaching “adult responsibilities.” University is an important time for personal growth and self-accountability, but it’s unfair to assume that all students have the resources to navigate life away from home on their own. Voting is unnecessarily difficult enough as is, and if USC and other universities around the country don’t take action, these inequalities will only continue to grow.