Northwestern University and Evanston's Only Daily News Source Since 1881

The Daily Northwestern

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Northwestern University and Evanston's Only Daily News Source Since 1881

The Daily Northwestern

Northwestern University and Evanston's Only Daily News Source Since 1881

The Daily Northwestern

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Student Voters Face Decisions On Registration

By Andrew BowenThe Daily Northwestern

Despite spending eight months of each year in Evanston, many out-of-state students are still unfamiliar with local and state politics.

While some choose to register to vote in Illinois, most decide to request an absentee ballot from their home state.

“I don’t know anything about Illinois politics,” said Weinberg freshman Tiffany Mathiason, who registered to vote at home in California. She said California issues are more important to her, and she knows more about them.

“I really don’t want (Arnold) Schwarzenegger to be governor again,” she said.

Mathiason said she considers herself a “relatively informed” voter, but said she is still learning about the voting process and Illinois political issues.

“I’m still 18. I’ve only voted once in a really small election,” she said of her experience voting in the spring primary.

Students who vote absentee in their home states are not uncomMonday, said College Republicans Treasurer Chelsea Thompson. Thompson, a Weinberg and Music sophomore, along with Andrew London, president of College Democrats and a SESP junior, distributed mail-in voter registration forms to people who wanted to register in Illinois during New Student Week.

The pair also gave out information on how to request an absentee ballot in different states.

“Most of the students would say that they’re registered back home, (but) I was pretty impressed with the number of people who wanted to register in Illinois,” Thompson said.

London estimated that about 150 students registered through their voter drive with an Evanston address.

“We did much better than previous years,” he said.

“A lot of people vote in Evanston for the convenience of being able to vote in person.”

Nikki Brown, a Weinberg junior from Washington, D.C., said she registered in Illinois for the 2004 presidential election and has been registered here since then.

She said, as a resident of Washington, D.C., she did not elect a senator or U.S. representative, which contributed to her decision to continue voting in Illinois.

“I had no reason to re-register in D.C.,” she said.

Even though she votes in Illinois, Brown said she does not know very much about the issues on the ballot. Still, voting in person was a better option for her because she would rather not send her ballot in the mail, she said.

“And I like the thrill of voting,” she said.

Reach Andrew Bowen at [email protected].

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Northwestern University and Evanston's Only Daily News Source Since 1881
Student Voters Face Decisions On Registration