Students gather at the Chapel Lawn during an on-campus rally promoting voter registration on the Edinburg campus. Diego Montano/Vaquero Radio
The Rio Grande Valley College Democrats and Powered by People hosted a rally Wednesday at the Chapel Lawn on the Edinburg campus.
The event aimed to encourage young people to register to vote and become more active in the democratic process, bringing together students, organizers and community members.
Attendees were able to register to vote on-site, speak with organizers and learn about the importance of civic engagement.
Amy Proudome, executive director for Powered by People, said the organization is focused on making the process simple and accessible.
“We do that for you. If you need to get registered, we will register on the spot. Just takes a few minutes,” Proudome said.
Both organizers said many students are already registered, but participation at the polls remains a challenge.
Abram McKee, president of the RGV College Democrats, said voting is essential for the outcome of the midterms.
“There’s a lot of people who are registered to vote, but are not coming out,” McKee said. “And if you’re not making that voice heard, it’s going to be someone else making those decisions for you without your say.”
Alex Oviedo, a member of Powered by People, highlighted and encouraged the importance of taking action
“If you feel passionate about something, if you want change to happen, you got to go out there and let your voice be heard,” Oviedo said.
Organizers said events like this aim to empower students and increase voter turnout among young people in the Valley.
For more information on voter registration and future events, students can visit V Link through the UTRGV webpage.
This is Diego Montano for Vaquero Radio.
