Members of the Saint Louis University and Midtown community gathered Nov. 2 at the Busch Student Center in the Wool Ballrooms to cast votes for the 2010 General Municipal Election. The turnout was slow throughout the day.
“I don’t think we have very good [advertising] this year for this polling place,” said junior Andrew Hulten, who cast his vote in the afternoon
Senior Thomas Bloom, who encouraged students to vote outside the BSC during Election Day, also said that students are sometimes disengaged with what the political process and that making voting decisions depends on personal education of issues.
“There are a lot of barriers to youth participation in the political process,” Bloom said. “Many SLU students are unaware that they can register to vote on campus if they are from another state.”
Bloom, who is studying political science, also attributed the lack of understanding of the political process to politicians.
“Many politicians do not make an effort to speak for young people’s interests, causing many young people to feel disconnected from the issues at stake in elections,” Bloom said.
Christopher Grabau, manager of the BSC, said that the decision to host a polling location started with the 2008 presidential election, where the voter turnout was high .
“[The University] thought that it was important basically because we are members of the community, and we should be able to offer a chance to participate in civic obligations,” Grabau said.
Grabau said that providing a polling location on campus that is accessible to students is beneficial to those who may have limited access to other polling locations due to lack of transportation.
“I think it is an honor and privilege to have and offer the facility in [the BSC],” Grabau said. “I think that we have been getting repeat inquires to host a polling station because it’s a place that is conducive for it.”
Bloom said that he thinks it is important for students to be present at polls .
“If we don’t speak up, other people speak for us, and the result is not always in our interests,” Bloom said. “At the end of the day, young people are responsible for making their own voices heard.”
