St. Cloud State University Runs Successful Election Day Campaign

St. Cloud State University students and employees, concerned that leaving registration to Election Day has in the past resulted in long lines at polling places, "got out the vote" in a variety of ways this fall. Their efforts resulted in 2,420 registrations by the Oct. 14 deadline for advance registration.

The campus-wide non-partisan campaign focused on educating, registering and helping students become active and engaged voting citizens. Among the many get-out-the-vote activities were the following:

• Students staffed kiosks during Mainstreet, an outdoor gathering of student organizations, to register voters on Sept. 3.
• The fall Women on Wednesday speaker series is focused on politics, with sessions on citizenship, women and political power, and the impact the election may have on GLBT issues, reproductive rights and discrimination issues.
• Secretary of State Mark Ritchie visited campus on Sept. 30 to discuss "Free and Fair Elections" and show a documentary on the 2004 election.
• The University Program Board sponsored Decision ‘08 on Oct. 7, a night of discussion and education that included voter registration.
• St. Cloud community members staffed kiosks in the student dining hall and other campus locations to facilitate advance registration and help students find polling locations.
• E-mails to students throughout the fall listed non-partisan sites with voter guides and self-assessments to help students match their political views with candidates’ positions, provided the secretary of state Web site that answers common voter questions and allows for on-line registration, and listed the Web sites of other secretary of state offices in the Midwest for students choosing to vote in their home states by absentee ballot.

The campaign will conclude the week before Election Day with e-mail reminders and voting information, as well as a mock election in the residence halls on Oct. 27.