‘Their vote does matter’: Georgia Southern’s Constitution Day 2024
Georgia Southern University is gearing up for this year’s Constitution Day, an event dedicated to celebrating the United States Constitution and educating students about their rights and responsibilities under it. With this year’s celebration falling on National Voter Registration Day, the theme centers around voting rights.
According to PEW Research, the share of voting Americans aged 18 to 29 dropped from 11% to 10% from 2018 to 2022. That same age group made up 27% of the non-voting population in the 2022 election.
According to Jamie Scalera-Elliott, Ph.D., the department chair for the Georgia Southern University Department of Political Science and International Studies (PSSI), this group’s voter turnout doesn’t reflect the impact they can make in the policymaking process. She said many students aren’t registered to vote in elections that can influence issues including their education, job prospects and personal rights.
“Their vote does matter,” Scalera-Elliott said. “Sometimes students aren’t registered to vote because they don’t know where to register, whether they should go back home or whether they can register where they’re living now.”
To help ease the anxiety around voter registration, the PSSI, Office of Leadership and Community Engagement and Division of Student Affairs are offering a mix of educational sessions and hands-on activities.
A panel discussion will take place on the Armstrong Campus on Tuesday, Sept. 17, from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. in the Ogeechee Theatre featuring faculty from PSSI. A mirrored event will take place later that same day on the Statesboro Campus in the Russell Union Theater from 6 to 7 p.m.
In addition to the panel, the event will provide voter registration assistance. Volunteers will be on hand to help students register to vote either in their home state or locally. They’ll also share information about early voting options, including absentee ballots and on-campus early voting stations, making it easier for students to cast their vote no matter where they’re registered.
Students can also enjoy free pizza and popsicles.
The Chatham County Board of Registrars will both table at the Armstrong Campus event and host a National Voter Registration Day event from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 1249 Eisenhower Drive, Savannah, Georgia 31406. The goal of their event is to create voter educational hotspots throughout Chatham County to increase voter registration accessibility. More information on Chatham County voter registration can be found here.
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