National Voter Registration Day is coming up on Sept. 17, and the BYU Office of Civic Engagement will host a voter registration drive to encourage students to participate in the political process.
Juliana Banks, project assistant for the Campus Cup initiative at BYU, said the office will set up booths around campus with doughnuts and volunteers to answer any questions about registering to vote on Sept. 17 and 18. These booths will be found inside the Wilkinson Student Center and outside at Brigham Square, the Marigold Quad (between the WSC, Clyde Building and Herald R. Clark Building), the Joseph F. Smith Building Quad and south of the Spencer W. Kimball Tower.
“I want (students) to get excited because a lot of us are really, really young, and this is our first or our second presidential election that we can vote in,” Banks said.
This effort to encourage students to vote aligns with counsel on political participation given by the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
“We urge Latter-day Saints to be active citizens by registering, exercising their right to vote and engaging in civic affairs, always demonstrating Christlike love and civility in political discourse,” the Office of the First Presidency said in a statement on June 1, 2023. “We urge you to spend the time needed to become informed about the issues and candidates you will be considering.”
BYU political science professor Quin Monson said students should develop a habit of voting in elections and to follow the above counsel given by the Prophet.
Monson also recommended students not follow American political parties blindly when choosing who to vote for but to use the different parties as a guide to understanding candidates and their policy positions.
He advised students planning to vote out-of-state should research the deadline for their home state’s voter registration since deadlines vary by state.
“If you want the convenience of voting by mail and you want to be sure that that ballot arrives in your mailbox in time for you to turn it around and send it back,” he said, “you should register to vote soon, not wait. The longer you wait, the more risk it is that the registration isn’t processed in time to get your absentee ballot to you.”
This voter registration drive will also contribute to BYU’s participation in the Campus Cup — a voter registration competition among Utah universities hosted by Utah Lieutenant Governor Diedre Henderson’s office every two years. The competition analyzes the percentage of voters who have registered as well as civic engagement at each university. BYU won this award in 2022, according to BYU University Communications.
“BYU statistically has low-voter turnout, which is kind of sad,” Banks said. “As members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the Church has asked us to be civically engaged, to be informed voters and to vote in our election.”
BYU students can register to vote using this link, and these registrations will be counted towards the competition. It can be used by students registering in Utah or out-of-state.
The last day to register to vote in Utah is Oct. 25 at 5 p.m., and the general election will take place on Nov. 5, according to the official United States Government voting website. Banks said the winning university of the Campus Cup will be chosen after Oct. 25.
Banks said the Campus Cup also considers a visit to the county clerk’s office and a scavenger hunt titled “Expedition Vote” when choosing the award’s recipient. She said the Office of Civic Engagement plans to participate in these but is currently focusing on National Voter Registration Day.
Banks said the winners of the Campus Cup will receive a trophy and a meeting with the Lieutenant Governor. Since BYU is the most recent winner of the Campus Cup in 2022, the Campus Cup trophy is currently held in the Office of Civic Engagement.
“It’s also just super great publicity for the university and our efforts to register students to vote,” Banks said.
BYU’s voter registration drive will continue throughout September and October until Utah’s voter registration deadline, but the booths will only be set up on Sept. 17 and 18.
More resources for individuals outside of BYU to register to vote in Utah can be found on vote.utah.gov. Out-of-state students outside of BYU can also find information on how to vote on this document.
Monson also mentioned a Peacemaker’s Initiative to be coming to BYU, helping individuals conduct civil political discourse. He said the Wheatley Institute and this initiative plan to sponsor a political debate on Oct. 24, with BYU College Republicans and BYU College Democrats, and more details will be released as the event approaches.