The oldest joke about Northwestern — after the one about its nonexistent dating scene — is the one about its politically apathetic student body. But recent efforts by student groups and the administration have shown that with the right push, students here can be motivated to register to vote, campaign on behalf of candidates — even travel to out-of-state caucuses.
These efforts are a good start and go a long way toward erasing the stereotype that has long plagued young people at this campus and throughout the nation — but the work isn’t over yet. With just 10 months until the next presidential election and weeks until the Illinois primary, students have plenty of opportunities both on and off campus to participate in and become educated about the political process. Moreover, they have a clear responsibility to do so.
Associated Student Government has been behind a commendable effort this year to register more students to vote. Last quarter many ASG senators were deputized, allowing them to register voters. ASG has realized that the simpler the process is, the more students will be willing to participate. Stopping by a table in Norris University Center and filling out a few documents is pretty much as simple as the process gets. Their efforts are clearly paying off: In just two hours Friday they registered 27 voters.
But ASG must follow through on the voter-registration drive and encourage people to vote. High registration numbers do not guarantee high voter turnouts. If ASG doesn’t campaign just as passionately for students to actually show up on Election Day as they have been in registering them, their efforts will have been worthless.
And regardless of how often they hear the message from their ASG senators, students should know what civic responsibility entails, and that responsibility ultimately falls on their shoulders. In Illinois voters must be registered 28 days prior to each election — no later than Feb. 17 for the March 16 primary. Voters must re-register if their address has changed since the last election. And students voting in their home states should secure their absentee ballots early to ensure they will be in on time.
Ten years ago voting would have been enough to satisfy the minimum requirements for what was expected of students. The mantra “Rock the vote!” was repeated ad nauseum on MTV in an attempt to make simply casting a ballot hip and attractive to young adults.
The movement today, however, extends much further. Thanks to the campaign of former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean and the Internet in general, young people now are encouraged not just to vote but also to participate in political movements. Eighteen NU students traveled to the Iowa Caucus in a trip sponsored by the School of Education’s Service Learning Certificate Program, and several more made the trip on their own to support their chosen candidates. The trips prove opportunities exist for political involvement beyond the campus borders — and certainly beyond simply voting in an election.
For students interested in becoming more educated, resources are available closer to home and long before Election Day rolls around. College Democrats, College Republicans and other groups can offer information on candidates to help students find the one with which they most closely align. And federal law requires the university to promote ways for students to become involved politically — so if students aren’t finding them, they should approach their ASG senator or the Office of Student Affairs to make it happen.
Students can find answers to many of their election questions from the comfort of their dorm room. The Cook County Clerk has a thorough Web site that guides voters through the election process and answers most of their questions at www.voterinfonet.com. The Federal Election Commission’s Citizen Guide, at www.fec.gov/citizen-guide.html, and Candidate Guide, at www.fec.gov/candidate-guide.html, also are valuable tools for navigating the FEC’s extensive and informative site. Project Vote Smart, at www.vote-smart.org, offers biographies, issue positions and voting records of candidates.
Although students vary in their political beliefs and commitments, there are ways for all of them to participate and have their voices heard. A suitable political outlet is certainly available for every NU student.
Except for the apathetic one.
