Liberty University students exercise right to vote at on-campus polling place

From 6 a.m. to 7 p.m., Liberty University students exercised their right to vote on campus in Tuesday’s presidential election, marking many of the students’ first time stepping into the booth.

Liberty’s precinct (Lynchburg City Third Ward, Second Precinct) has served students in the Vines Center since the 2012 Republican primary, but the arena’s roof is currently under construction so this year’s polling location was moved to the Alumni Ballroom in the Montview Student Union. (Before 2012, Liberty provided buses to the former off-campus polling location at Heritage Elementary School.)

Blake Levin, Liberty’s associate director for voter registration, said the new polling place was outfitted to accommodate students and adhere to health and safety guidelines on campus, including stickers on the floor and labels on seating.

“We made sure everything is set up to work with social distancing so students could be here to vote —that’s really important,” Levin said. “Students are excited for their voices to be heard. For some of them, this is their first time voting, and I see in their eyes that they’re excited for the opportunity to vote.”

Levin added that Liberty’s student voters will hopefully be back in the Vines Center for next year’s election.

Freshman Mackenzie Volies filled out her first presidential ballot today, and she was glad to participate on campus.

“I know it sounds cliché, but people have been saying that this is the most important election this country has ever seen, and just being able to vote is so amazing,” Volies said. “I don’t have a car on campus, so it was really nice to have that accessibility to vote at Liberty.”

There were 3,876 Liberty students already actively registered to vote at the campus precinct before the fall semester began, and an additional 1,255 students took advantage of registration opportunities through Liberty’s website, hall meetings, information tables, and certain classes this semester. (An official count of Liberty’s voter turnout will be added to this story when results become available.)

Students said the Election Day environment on campus felt open and welcoming, allowing them to cast their ballots without being swayed in a particular direction. Regardless of their stance, students were glad to have their votes count toward the country’s future.

“The whole environment at Liberty made voting easier; it makes me feel more confident,” sophomore Anna Julian said. “I’ve voted once before, but this time I felt a lot better because of the people around me and because I didn’t feel pressured here.”

“Liberty has really helped me with being outspoken about my political beliefs, and in class we are able to have civil discussions,” freshman Briel Eby added. “It’s a great opportunity to be able to vote, and to exercise that right is awesome … it’s so good to be informed.”