Exercising their right

Students prepare to vote for local and state officials on Election Day Nov. 3

Liberty University is encouraging students to register and vote on Election Day taking place Nov. 3, 2015.

Liberty’s Dean of Students Office works to ensure all students have the opportunity to register and vote every election season. A student turnout is very important for various reasons, according to Director of Commuter Services Bradley Milks, who helps the Dean of Students Office with voter registration.

“Students have the opportunity to exercise their right to vote, which should not be taken lightly,” Milks said. “Students live in Lynchburg for nine months out of the year. Local issues, such as taxes, directly affect them on a daily basis. Other issues of local importance affect their tuition.”

Titus Folks, a senior at Liberty and Virginia State Coordinator for Students For Rand, agreed that student voting is crucial to every election. As a student who is heavily involved in politics, Folks sees the need and the importance of Christians getting out to the polls and making their ballot count.

“Preparing students to register and vote every year is part of Liberty’s task in training champions for Christ,” Folks said. “A thousand students could essentially decide the election for our district in almost any given race. … Elections are won based on turnout, and low turnout in the evangelical community can lose an election. We have a role in redeeming our government, and we shouldn’t turn down that chance.”

Voting opportunities for students at Liberty have grown each year. Since a polling station is available in the Vines Center on Election Day, student turnout is important. While this is not a presidential election year, and candidates are running unopposed, one of the reasons students need to vote is to show their interest in and use of the on-campus precinct.

In order to prepare students for registration, emails have been sent out alerting students to take advantage of the opportunity and right to vote in Virginia while attending Liberty.

In a previous Convocation where Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders spoke, voter registration forms were available to students. Announcements during Convocation are also made throughout the semester, informing students about voting.

“Many individuals will think, ‘What is one vote?’” Larry Provost, who also helps the Dean of Students Office with voter registration said. “But one vote is very important, as we have seen in Liberty’s vote being the deciding factor in several local elections.”

Both Milks and Folks said students should prepare for the upcoming election season by investigating candidates beforehand to gain a better understanding of what each one stands for and what issues he or she finds important.

“Students should do their own research on the candidates,” Folks said. “As Christians, we should make votes based on wour conscience.”

More information for Liberty students can be found at www.liberty.edu/studentaffairs/deanofstudents.

Ritter is a news reporter.

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