National Voter Registration Day comes to MCC
By: Joshua Bowling
The Arizona Students’ Association came to Mesa Community College on Sept. 23, registering students to vote in honor of National Voter Registration Day.
Democratic candidate for Secretary of State, Terry Goddard, made the rounds of Arizona’s colleges on Tuesday, Sept. 23. He went to MCC, South Mountain Community College, Phoenix College, and Arizona State University.
Voting, Goddard said, is one of the most important rights and duties for our citizens.
Though the general election is on Nov. 4, the deadline for voter registration is Oct. 6, causing politicians to encourage registration as soon as possible.
Goddard went to several of Arizona’s colleges in the attempt to register students 30 years old and younger. This group is “the most unheard from in the political process” yet the “most impacted by state policies,” Goddard said.
As students came out to register, ASA took a poll asking the question, “Which is most important to you?”
Education, healthcare, civil rights, the cost of tuition, and immigration. Education led the poll.
Student votes are highly sought after by both Democratic and Republican candidates.
“Arizona voter turnout has been falling,” said Goddard. In an effort to register more voters, Goddard hoped to see young people become more enthusiastic about voting.
Community colleges, Goddard said, are “one of the great, untouched resources in Arizona.”
Nathan, a student at MCC, said that voting is a large responsibility for citizens of the U.S.
He explained that his disagreement with the U.S. government’s policies make him indifferent toward voting.
“I’m apathetic because our own government is reckless and out-of-hand,” he said.
He is pleased with how things are run at the city level, however.
Both major parties will be hoping for the young vote to swing in their favor in the general election on Nov. 4.
