Florida Student PIRG kicks off Voters Project Campaign at FAMU. Photo courtesy Ganesh
With the 2020 election right around the corner, students of the Florida Public Interest Research Group (PIRG) are on a mission to increase the number of college students who are registered to vote.
Student PIRG is a non-profit nonpartisan activist professional support group organization. Its mission is to provide students with organizations and resources for them to become activists and tackle issues they are concerned about.
While these issues range from climate change to public health and revitalizing democracy, Student PIRG is currently geared toward energizing students and increasing their ability and education in voting.
Sunita Ganesh, the campus organizer for both FAMU and TCC, said the objective does not stop at voter registration.
“We are working not only on voter registration, but to get out voter education and encourage registered voters to get out and vote.”
The voter registration deadline is Monday for the upcoming general election, and Student PIRG is in a race against time to add as many new student voters as possible.
Student PIRGS has been hitting the ground running after an SGA resolution granted campus involvement last spring. Since then they have partnered with fraternities and sororities along with the FAMUOffice of Housing for a virtual voter registration competition.
All three councils associated with FAMU Efferson Student Union – Council of Independent Organizations, Professional Fraternity Council and the National Pan-Hellenic Council — will be promoting flyers and prompting students to register online.
Students can register at just the click of a button by finding flyers and links to register on social media pages through Greek life members and fellow PIRG’s student ambassadors.
Third-year scholar and PIRG ambassador Kenee Williams understands the importance of the millennial vote. Her determination led her to a HBCU voting webinar that taught social media tactics on getting minority college students to register and vote.
“I really wanted to inform students about the importance of getting out and getting the vote in,” said Williams. “The first step is to register.”
Student PIRG has a goal to get 250 new student registered voters. According to Ganesh, this is just under a third of students currently staying in residence halls on campus.
Students can register in time for early voting, whichbegins Monday, Oct. 19. Students will also be able to take advantage of the campus voting sight located in FAMU Student Union Multi-Purpose Room D.
The voter campaign will conclude on Monday. If you would like to register to vote visit www.studentvote.org