National Voter Registration Day took place last week with the effort to combat the Rio Grande Valley’s low voter turnout. UTRGV Radio spoke with Student Engagement Alliance President Alexandria Smith about the importance for students at UTRGV registering to vote.
“I think it’s important because it’s our voice, everything that happens at a local level and state level can really be changed by how we vote.”
According to the Hidalgo County, there was a 107% increase in registered voters from the 2016 presidential election to now. Registered students like Chemistry Junior Cheyenne Juarez explains why she decided to get registered.
“It’s very important for students to exercise their civic right to vote, and it’s important to raise awareness because not allot of students know where to register? How to register? And if they should.”
Smith explains that it was voting that lead to UTRGV to become an open forum campus.
“Now we are an open forum, so those are the type of things that- if we vote. We can have a say on what happens. On how things will affect us.”
UTRGV still remains an open forum campus and is expect to host polling locations later this year. For more information about registration visits utrgv.edu/vaquerosvote
