The Bonaventure chapter of the College Democrats plans to organize a voter registration drive in preparation for the April 19 primary.
The voter registration drive will take place over two weeks, leading up to the March 25 deadline for voting registration, said faculty adviser and professor of theology, Chris Stanley, Ph.D.
The New York primary election will be held on April 19 and will be representative of both Democratic and Republican candidates. Although only registered democrats and republicans may vote in the primary, the registration drive will also give non-registered students the opportunity to become Independents.
Although the planning is in its earliest stages, Stanley believes that the drive will be a success.
“We’re hoping to work with the College Republicans on the project,” Stanley said.
The Bonaventure chapter of the College Republicans plans to meet within the next week to discuss their participation in the event.
The drive will seek to increase voter registration in college-aged students, who are categorized within the youth vote. The youth vote includes voters between the ages of 18-29 years old. According to the United States Census Bureau, the youth vote group has historically voted less than other, older age groups.
According to The Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE), about 49 percent of Americans in the youth vote group, approximately 23 million people, voted in the 2012 presidential election. Overall the youth vote comprised of only 19 percent of the entire voting electorate.
In addition to the voting registration drive, College Democrats sponsored a debate-watching party on Wednesday March 9 in the Shay-Loughlen lounge, where students were also provided with voting registration information.
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