The future of this republic is in the hands of the American voter. ~Dwight D. Eisenhower
At the Student Lobby Conference, one of the talking points for UCSB was our strength in numbers of registered voters. Over 10,000 UCSB students registered for the 2008 elections. UCSB students understand the importance and power of voting. At the new graduate student orientation in 2011, everyone in attendance was given a voter registration form. Living in Isla Vista, I’ve been visited on multiple occasions by students who want to help get people registered for the upcoming elections. It is great to be a part of a campus community that supports civic engagement.
With the June elections approaching, I wanted to take the time to remind you to register to vote if you have not yet done so. The last day to register for the upcoming Primary Election is May 21, 2012. According to the UCSB Voter Registration website, you need to re-register if you “move, change your name, wish to change your political party affiliations, or if your signature has changed.” To register, you can either fill out an online form (and print, sign, and mail it) or pick up a voter registration form from a county election office, library, or U.S. Post Office (more information: http://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/elections_vr.htm). It takes less than a minute to fill out the online form (this includes putting the stamp on the envelope and walking it to the mailbox). You can register to vote in-person or with a vote-by-mail ballot.
The California Primary Election is on Tuesday, June 5, 2012. Visit the official Voter Information Guide to learn about the propositions and candidates that will be featured on the ballot.
Here are some important upcoming dates:
May 21, 2012
Last day to register to vote
May 29, 2012
Last day to apply for a vote-by-mail ballot by mail
June 5, 2012
Election Day