BY: DAVID SCIBILIA, FEATURES EDITOR
When Joe Gunn, a sophomore chemistry major, opened the doors to the Rathskeller — St. Bonaventure University’s on-campus, late-night dining spot — he never expected to check his voter registration.
On April 11, Bonaventure’s College Republicans club in tandem with Bonaventure’s College Democrats club hosted their annual Rock The Vote event. This allowed students to register to vote or check their voter registrations.
The 2023 New York State budget contained many voting provisions, including requiring colleges and universities with more than 300 registered voters in its respective voting district to have an on-campus polling location. Bonaventure has 50 Cattaraugus County-registered voters, according to a Cattaraugus County Board of Elections representative.
College students have three voting options. They can register where they attend college and vote at a local polling location, they can vote absentee or they can opt into early voting.
Gunn, a Bradford, Pennsylvania, native, chose to change his registration to Cattaraugus County.
“I chose to register here because I’m planning on staying around here after college,” said Gunn. “I want to familiarize myself with the local politics because it will affect me for more than just the four years I’m [at Bonaventure].”
But some students said they prefer to vote absentee because they feel a sense of identity in their hometown.
“I, for one, vote for my district at home in Buffalo because it’s where I feel [most] attached to,” said Natalie Merrill, president of Bonaventure’s College Democrats. “I feel as though I know about the local problems.”
Despite the different methods, Mary Rose Kubal, Bonaventure’s chair for political science programs, said as long as students vote, it doesn’t matter which way they choose.
“I think all voting is good voting,” said Kubal. “At home isn’t necessarily any better than absentee and early voting isn’t necessarily better than the other two. It’s really just a matter of preference.”
Although the media tends to cover the presidential election the most, Kubal said local elections — even for college students — should not be ignored.
“People tend to vote by party lines when it comes to local elections,” said Kubal. “But these elections are the ones that probably affect you the most. Ironically, we know less about our local candidates whom we could literally go meet and have coffee with to talk about our day-to-day issues than we do about the presidential candidates.”
Some students said they research candidates before they cast their votes.
“I heavily research candidates because voting on party lines doesn’t really make sense to me,” said Gunn. “I want to vote for who I think will do the best job — not just someone who is affiliated with a party.”
Along with hosting several on-campus voter registration events, Mason Palude, the vice president for Bonaventure’s College Republicans, encouraged interested students to reach out if they need help.
“I think all students should vote,” said Palude. “I don’t think it’s a very difficult process and we’re always willing to help in whatever way we can. Whether that’s giving out voter registration forms or bringing people through the process of filling it out.”
Merrill, similarly to Palude, encouraged students to vote if they want to see change.
“Students should care about voting because we are the future,” said Merrill. “Look at our current president and other elected officials. Quite frankly, they’re old. It is up to us to be sure young voices and what we care about are being represented in the political field.”
Tom Buttafarro Jr., Bonaventure’s director for government and community relations, said all freshmen receive voter registration packets at orientation, but some students are split on the packet’s efficacy.
“I might have gotten one at orientation,” said Jack Kennedy, a sophomore accounting and finance major. “But I honestly don’t remember. We got so much [during orientation] that it was hard to keep track of everything.”
Gunn, on the other hand, used this to register.
“I remember getting [a packet],” said Gunn. “I used it when I first registered to vote in [Cattaraugus County].”
Some students said an on-campus polling location would encourage them to vote.
“I might forget to vote if no one reminded me,” said Kennedy. “I would definitely be more likely to remember and actually vote [if there was an on-campus location], even if it meant changing where I’m registered.”
Buttafarro said there aren’t any plans for an on-campus polling location. However, Bonaventure may provide free transportation to the nearest polling location, the Robert A. Livingston Community Center at 188 W Main St., Allegany, said Buttafarro.
“We’ll know about transportation as election day gets closer, but as of now, we’re going to respond based on what students tell us,” said Buttafarro. “If students really want to get to the polls, we will find a way.”
scibild22@bonaventure.edu
