2008 Woodie Awards
Students explore voting options
By Hayley Graham
Issue date: 2/21/08 Section: News
As the presidential elections rapidly approach, college students away from home need to plan ahead so they may take part in voting, officials said.
David Carrithers, government professor, said, "The 2008 primary contests are showing that young voters can make a large difference if they choose to participate."
In the primary race held Feb. 5, voters between the ages of 18 and 29 in Tennessee accounted for nearly 140,000 votes.
This turnout has quadrupled from the year 2000, according to the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement.
"Youth turnout was the winning margin of victory in several states," Chrissy Faessen wrote in the Rock The Vote blog.
According to UTC students, many were absent from the primary polls.
"I'm registered to vote, but I didn't vote in the primaries because I'm not registered in Hamilton County," Emily Martin, a Nashville junior said.
Nick Andrews, a Columbia, Tenn., junior said, "I'm registered for Maury County, and it just wasn't convenient at all for me to go home and vote."
Students who are already registered to vote in another county or state and will be unable to vote at home in November, have options to make their vote count, according to Carrithers.
The first option is to change their registration. Students have the option of voting from wherever they consider home, including their school address, according to Rock the Vote.
All that is required to change the address of registration is to register again using the local address, according to Rock the Vote.
In Hamilton County, students may contact Dene Fry, at the Hamilton County Election Commission at (423) 493-5100, ext. 236, Carrithers said.
"This needs to be done 30 days prior to the election," Carrithers said.
Students who choose to register at a UTC address will vote at the Central City Complex on MLK Boulevard, according to Carrithers.
If a student would prefer to cast their vote in their home county, they may request an absentee ballot, Carrithers said.
David Carrithers, government professor, said, "The 2008 primary contests are showing that young voters can make a large difference if they choose to participate."
In the primary race held Feb. 5, voters between the ages of 18 and 29 in Tennessee accounted for nearly 140,000 votes.
This turnout has quadrupled from the year 2000, according to the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement.
"Youth turnout was the winning margin of victory in several states," Chrissy Faessen wrote in the Rock The Vote blog.
According to UTC students, many were absent from the primary polls.
"I'm registered to vote, but I didn't vote in the primaries because I'm not registered in Hamilton County," Emily Martin, a Nashville junior said.
Nick Andrews, a Columbia, Tenn., junior said, "I'm registered for Maury County, and it just wasn't convenient at all for me to go home and vote."
Students who are already registered to vote in another county or state and will be unable to vote at home in November, have options to make their vote count, according to Carrithers.
The first option is to change their registration. Students have the option of voting from wherever they consider home, including their school address, according to Rock the Vote.
All that is required to change the address of registration is to register again using the local address, according to Rock the Vote.
In Hamilton County, students may contact Dene Fry, at the Hamilton County Election Commission at (423) 493-5100, ext. 236, Carrithers said.
"This needs to be done 30 days prior to the election," Carrithers said.
Students who choose to register at a UTC address will vote at the Central City Complex on MLK Boulevard, according to Carrithers.
If a student would prefer to cast their vote in their home county, they may request an absentee ballot, Carrithers said.
