The Traveler

Issue date: 9/29/08 Section: News

Media Credit: Maggie Carroll Robbie Jones and Tori Adams, members of Young Democrats, help Secoryia Bullard and Latisha Black register to vote.

With 29 days until the election, campus organizations have worked tirelessly to get thousands of students and local residents registered to vote, but they aren't done yet as massive voter registration drives continue until the deadline.

UA students have until Oct. 6 to register to vote, and some still have questions about absentee ballots and whether they can register to vote in Fayetteville if they're not from Arkansas.

"Students from out of town have two options," said Melissa Tuttle, an ASG senator and director of outreach for Students for Barack Obama and vice president of Young Democrats.

"Students can sign up on campus at one of the stands set up for voter-registration drives," Tuttle said. "Or they can call their county clerk's office and ask for information on absentee ballots if they want to vote in their state or hometown's election."

Because of their attendance at the university, students are allowed to change their voter registration to Fayetteville without changing their state citizenship, Tuttle said.

Voter registration drives have taken place all over campus and even at the Walton Arts Center, and what might be a final push for registration will happen today from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Arkansas Union where Sarah Lewis, a candidate for City Council Ward 4, and the College Republicans, Young Democrats, NAACP, LULAC 761 and Sigma Chi will conduct a massive voter registration drive.

"These students have worked tirelessly to make an impact in these elections," Lewis said. "I recognize their important contributions, and I want to do all I can to show them support."

It's a great opportunity to reach out and encourage more students to get involved in the upcoming elections, Lewis said.

However, it won't be the only joint drive being held this week. Campus Greens and Students for Sensible Drug Policies and the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws Arkansas chapter, will be hosting voter registration drives Monday and Tuesday on campus.

"We're definitely getting people interested in politics," said Jacob Holloway, an ASG senator and president of Campus Greens. "We've single-handedly gotten 2,000 people in Fayetteville registered to vote through Sensible Fayetteville."

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