Last Tuesday, the League of Women Voters of Ohio (LWVO) visited the university as part of its statewide voter registration roadshow.
The LWVO’s voter registration roadshow is an initiative meant to streamline the voter registration process for college students, with volunteers setting up shop outside of a trailer to answer questions and provide assistance for prospective voters.
“We want to take down barriers and blockades in voting access,” said Trevor Martin, a campaign coordinator for the LWVO.
Martin explains that the LWVO was founded in 1920 to help women exercise their newfound right to vote. Since then, its mandate has expanded to include voters from all walks of life, regardless of gender. He explains that the organization is now primarily focused on addressing issues and concerns for the everyday Ohioan.
The LWVO’s voter registration roadshow comes at a pivotal time of the year, with Election Day in November looming in the background as the country braces to elect a new president. Part of the roadshow’s goal is to address a critical shortage in voter registration for a particular age group.
“Unfortunately the age range between 18 and 24 is the lowest voter registration rate we have in the nation,” said Martin. “In Ohio, only 59% of folks between the ages of 18 and 24 are registered to vote. Only 52% of those folks even participated in the last presidential election. And so we want to raise that dramatically.”
According to Pew Research, adults aged 18 to 29 made up 29% of nonvoters, noting that “adults under 50 made up 36% of voters, but 64% of nonvoters.” Some have speculated that this is the result of voter apathy, though Martin disagrees.
“Another misconception is that young folks don’t care,” said Martin. “There’s issues and concerns that matter very much to these folk, you know, [like] abortion, climate change, and so we want to get these folks registered.”
Aside from the federal elections on the top of the ballot sheet, a number of down-ballot campaigns will be presented to voters in Ohio.
“The down-ballot elections are almost more important than the top of the ballot elections because those affect what happens where you live in your community,” said Jackie Bird, a volunteer for the LWVO. “It’s affecting your local libraries, your local parks and recreation, your local water and sewer, your city council votes, your county commissioner votes. Don’t forget about those.”
Bird also recommends that prospective voters in Ohio use the League of Women Voters-affiliated Vote411 website to see what’s on their ballot.
“It’s meant to be nonpartisan,” said Bird. “They send questionnaires out to candidates, they get the issues, pros and cons, from the Secretary of State or local communities, and they put them on there. They’re not edited at all.”
Bird emphasizes that individual votes matter in these elections.
“These elections are gonna be determined on the margins,” said Bird. “Your vote’s gonna count more than ever this time. So one vote will make a massive difference in this election, because everything is on the edge.”
