With the upcoming 2024 Presidential election fast approaching, citizens are dedicated to getting young voters registered.
After National Voter Registration day on Sept. 17, the university’s students are being closely monitored on their voter status and whether or not they’re registered to vote.
Sean R., a sophomore at the university, has been a registered voter since he turned 18 when he got his driver’s license. He explains that his registration process might be different than some students’.
“I honestly didn’t make the choice,” (last name) said. “I was at the DMV. I just thought it was a lot easier than going through another separate process.”
However, he finds it vital for the younger generations to vote.
“I mean, we all live in America and everyone deserves a chance to be represented and to have their beliefs shown through the government,” last name said. “I think everyone’s vote counts, no one else is gonna put it in for you, so it feels pretty important.”
Bryce K., a junior at UNR, registered to vote around three months ago because of campus resources for registration.
“I think that the young person’s vote is especially crucial in these latest elections, especially in local elections,” (last name) said. “A lot of the time it’ll be older demographics that vote and they tend to lean towards one party-so I think it’s important for us to be a generation of change.”
The Director of Government Affairs, Dillon Moss, born and raised in Sparks, Nevada, worked for the State Legislature two years prior to coming to the University. He encourages everyone to vote, as he finds it a crucial factor in the electoral process.
“I love our state government and I know its’ ins and outs. I’ve been a registered voter since I turned 17 because Nevada is a state that does pre-registration.” Moss said. “A big thing in my family is we live by the ‘if you don’t vote, you can’t complain’ motto—we’re not the most political family. I’m like the black sheep in that sense—I’ve engaged and loved politics since the fifth grade.”
Moss thinks that Gen Z is one of the most important demographics in the electoral process at the moment.
“We have such an opportunity to make massive amounts of change, but we can only do that if we exercise our ability to make that change which, in this case, is to vote,” Moss said. “So, I think no matter what party they’re registering with, no matter what, students should register to vote because it is the most important way to make changes especially in this year. I think it is the best way to make change and make a voice heard.”
Although Moss encourages voting within the younger generations, he’s also aware that young voters can be discouraged by older generations through the comparison of their ages to their experiences.
“As young people, we keep being told that you’re not experienced enough, you don’t understand the world,” Moss said. “You really don’t know how to make the decisions at this time. Now, it is so important that we are heard more than ever, because there are so many issues that are affecting us.”
Moss pointed out the specific issues involving young people and college students in this upcoming election, including tuition, living costs, and LGBTQ+ rights. He expressed his love for a specific quote by former Texas governor Ann Richards: “If you’re not at the table, you’re on the menu.”
Research has shown that as the generations progress, fewer U.S. citizens have registered to vote, creating a possible issue for local, state, and national elections. Moss argues that it’s a reflection of the current political system—especially in regards to the chosen candidates.
“Most young people were not the most engaged voters when it was Trump vs. Biden because they were just not energized about the candidates,” Moss said. “I don’t know the exact numbers off the top of my head, but especially on campus, something that we’ve seen is an exponential increase of voter engagement after Biden dropped out of the race and Harris stepped up.”
Moss clarifies for the record that he is not endorsing any candidate, rather stating the observations the office of Government affairs has made on campus. He instructs those who plan to or are interested in registering to vote, regardless of what party they want to affiliate with, should reference the Secretary of State’s Office and its website for informative resources.
For more information you can visit the Secretary of State website at https://www.nvsos.gov/sos.
Dillon Moss, the Director of Government Affairs at the University of Nevada, can be reached via email at directorgovaffairs@asun.unr.edu.
Alex Psak can be reached via email apsak@unr.edu or on Instagram @alexandrapsak
