UF student organizations are now racing against the clock to register as many University of Florida student voters as possible before Florida’s upcoming voter registration deadline on Oct. 5.
Organizations like the UF Vote Everywhere Ambassadors and the Student Government Association’s Chomp the Vote have fully transitioned to digital and virtual registration tactics to replace the traditional in-person drives shut down by the COVID pandemic.
Still, national experts are concerned that due to the COVID, many university students (including UF’s 52,000 plus) will be unable to vote because they miss a registration deadline, fail to update their registration, or aren’t sure how to register.
As part of National Voter Registration Day on Sept. 22, Gator student organizations will be emphasizing virtual and digital means of voter outreach to register as many students as possible to help ensure they are ‘vote ready’ before their respective state deadline.
According to Gus Duran, the Bob Graham Center civic engagement intern who helps lead the Gator Get-out-the-Vote Coalition, developing strategies to improve UF’s voter registration and turnout will be challenging.
The Coalition is relying on digital tools like the UF TurboVote online voter registration app, social media advertising and peer-to-peer texting to conduct voter outreach.
“Texting is a perfect fit to reach UF’s students about registering and voting because texting is a primary way that university students communicate,” Duran said.
A variety of virtual activities are also planned for National Voter Registration Day, such as the Go Gators! Get Up and Vote voter registration event co-hosted by the UF Vote Everywhere Ambassadors and UF Student Government Association’s Chomp the Vote. The online Zoom runs from 11 am to 2 pm.
To register to vote, update your registration, or order a vote-by mail ballot, enroll today in UF TurboVote at this link.