Troy TPUSA, College Democrats join forces for registration

A student checks her registration online. Caroline Marshall photo

Last week, the Troy University chapters of Turning Point USA and College Democrats came together on the quad with one goal in mind: to help students register to vote for the upcoming midterm elections.

Members of both groups made it clear to students who passed that checking their registration wouldn’t take long. They said it’s as simple as coming by, filling out an online form and walking back to class.

"We just want to make sure that people know first of all that there is an election, know how important it is to vote and to make sure that they're registered to vote,” said Micah Breland, a member of College Democrats and a sophomore elementary education major from Birmingham, Alabama. “We also want to make sure that they know how to vote absentee if that's what they need to do and make sure that they know where they're registered so they can successfully cast their ballot for the midterms."

One student knew he had already registered but still stopped by the table to make sure he would be able to vote during the upcoming midterms.

"I know voting is really important for the country – it’s our voice and how we get our opinions across, so I know it's really important that everyone needs to be registered to vote and get out there and actually vote,” said Eli Beall, a freshman business entrepreneur major from Athens, Georgia. “It's cool to know they're out here doing this.”

Breland said it’s important for everyone to cast their ballot this midterm election – especially college students.

"It's going to decide who's controlling our congress, and it's going to decide who's going to be our next governor here in Alabama, and those are things that affect us directly as students, when it comes to the issues that we care about and the things that are important to us,” Breland said. “That's why it’s so important to people out to vote."

The Tropolitan asked the Turning Point USA members present at the event for interviews, but they declined to comment.

The Alabama midterm election will be held on Nov. 3. Alabama citizens looking for more information on how to vote for the midterms can visit sos.alabama.gov/alabama-votes.