Students had the opportunity to vote in this year’s midterm elections on Nov. 4 without worrying about transportation. Shuttles were arranged to bring students to the polling stations.
Alexandra Gruber of the Quinnipiac Democrats said there are many things preventing students from voting, but hopes to reduce those limitations by giving students a way to get to the polls.
“We realize that there are many barriers to voting, one of which is transportation,” Gruber said. “Many students do not have a vehicle. Other students may view the cost of gas or parking as a possible problem. Therefore, by providing transportation, we remove a barrier to voting.”
The QU Democrats hold a week-long voter registration drive in the Carl Hansen Student Center every year where they have registration forms for new voters and absentee ballots for those from out-of-state. After the drive, they ship all of the forms free of charge, according to QU Democrats president Jacob Nadeau.
Non-local students who are registered to vote outside of Hamden must return to their hometown to participate in an election. Despite that, students who utilized the voter registration booth run by the QU Democrats used their Quinnipiac addresses so they could vote in Hamden, according to Gruber.
“For the students who are registered to vote in Hamden, the shuttles are great idea,” freshman Michael Green said.
The QU Democrats also canvass to promote student voting at the university.
“We canvass every Saturday and provide transportation to students who wish to join,” Gruber said.
While many students have already sent in absentee ballots, Gruber believes that the close gubernatorial election between the Democrat incumbent Dannel Malloy and Republican candidate Tom Foley is drawing more student voters to the polls. Quinnipiac Polling Institute shows Malloy with just a three-point lead over Foley as of Nov. 3.
“From what we’ve heard at our voter registration booths, students are excited about this super close election and look forward to voting,” Gruber said.
Freshman Michael Cestare is glad there will be shuttles to the polling institutes.
“I think it is a very good idea to support us with the shuttles to the polling because we pay a tremendous amount of money to this university and it is nice that they help us fulfill our civic duty of voting,” Cestare said.
