Written by: Sadie Latimer | News Editor
The 2024 presidential election is coming up, with Election Day being Nov. 5. In Oregon, ballots must either be in a ballot drop box or postmarked by Election Day. The deadline for voter registration has passed, however, people can check if they’re registered by going to the “My Vote” page on the Oregon secretary of state’s website. “Oregon has the ‘motor voter’ bill, so when you get your license you’re automatically registered to vote,” said Mary Pettenger, a professor in the Politics, Policy and Administration department at Western.
After filling out a ballot, students can drop them off at the ballot drop box located on the second floor of the Werner University Center. The secretary of state’s website has a feature called “Track My Ballot” that allows people to check if their ballots have been received.
Pettenger, along with Dr. Earlene Camarillo, believes in the importance of getting young people to vote. The two professors started the Empowered Communities Project in 2022. “Part of our goal is to get people more involved in their civic world,” said Pettenger. “(Voting is) one of the biggest ways people can really have their voice heard in a democracy.”
The Empowered Communities Project has been a significant part of encouraging students to engage in their local communities. It also helps students learn about civil service, democracy and advocacy. “We’ve been having events, speakers and hosting training for how to be an advocate or a lobbyist,” said Pettenger.
The voting process can be overwhelming for students who are participating for the first time, but Pettenger emphasized that it’s not something to worry about. “It’s not as hard as it sounds … And you don’t have to fill in each name, you can just vote for particular offices, too.”
For first-time voters, it may be difficult to sift through all of the information about the presidential candidates, but that’s where the secretary of state’s website can be useful once again. “(On the) website there’s a link to find the voter’s pamphlet, and then each candidate has a statement and you can see who supports them or not,” said Pettenger.
“We’re really privileged in our society to have a democracy. Being able to vote is part of being part of your community and caring about what happens,” said Pettenger.
Contact the author at howlnews@mail.wou.edu
