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RELEASED: Sept. 23, 2004
DANVILLE, KY—Casting a vote in the 2004 presidential election just got easier for Centre students.
In an effort to increase voter turnout among the student body, Beau Weston, associate professor of sociology at Centre, with the help of Centre students, led a charge to change Centre's voter precinct.
The new precinct for students will be at the Presbyterian Church of Danville, 500 W. Main St. — a quick walk from campus.
This will make it much more convenient for students to take part in the political process. Voting for the presidential election is Nov. 2.
With this in mind, Centre students should be more apt to take a few minutes between classes and activities to vote, Weston says.
A couple of years ago whether Centre students lived in Yerkes or Breckenridge halls determined if they voted at the Lexington Avenue Baptist Church or Boyle County High School in Danville, making voting confusing and a much farther trip from campus.
The county clerk recently combined Centre's campus into one precinct, allowing all students to vote at the same place.
According to FOX News, in the 2000 presidential election 29 percent of eligible voters between ages 18-24 participated nationwide.
"Changing the voter precinct will make it more convenient for some people to vote, plus it just reminds people to go out and do it," says Ayumi Deeny, a freshman from Ft. Collins, Colo.
Weston and the students have promoted the new voting location through postcards and flyers.
Weston is working with Centre Democrats and Republicans to get the College's students registered to vote. The goal is to have 100-percent voter turnout among Centre students.
"I became involved with this project because I want all students to have a voice in the upcoming election, be it Republican, Democratic or independent," says senior Rebecca Tollefson, an international studies major from Gaithersburg, Md. "My main concern is simply getting students out to vote for issues that will figure directly into their lives, especially post-graduation. Hopefully, inspiring students to vote will encourage them to familiarize themselves with the issues and make a difference come Nov. 2, no matter what their political ideology might be."
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Founded in 1819, Centre College is ranked among the U.S. News top 50 national liberal arts colleges. Centre alumni, known for their nation-leading loyalty in annual financial support, include two U.S. vice presidents and two Supreme Court justices. For more, visit http://www.centre.edu/web/elevatorspeech/
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