With the midterm elections right around the corner, many students at Montclair State University are gearing up to their first time in the voting booth.
This particular event is a part of the New Jersey Ballot Bowl, a nonpartisan collegiate voter registration competition.
Despite the unpleasant weather changing the venue of the Tuesday afternoon event, the Center for Student Involvement Director Mariel Pagan stationed herself at a table outside of the Student Center Ballrooms to greet others as they registered and took a pledge to vote in this upcoming election.
“[The fair] is a nice way of highlighting and bringing awareness to the fact that there is going to be an election coming up,” Pagan said.
Center for Student Involvement Director Mariel Pagan poses with Rocky the Red Hawk as they greet students.
Rebecca Serviss | The Montclarion Photo credit: Rebecca Serviss
Pagan believes that many students want to see change and that some are frustrated that their voices are not being heard. She urged students that the best way to be heard is by getting to know their candidates then going out and voting
The student population at Montclair State also believed that they should take the pledge to vote in the upcoming election.
Junior biology major James Lomonte volunteered at the event, helping students take the pledge as a part of the All into Vote Challenge.
“[Voting] is important for participation in the community,” Lomonte said. “If you wish to get things to change or if you want to advocate for certain policies, then voting is really the way to ensure that what you desire to get done gets done.”
While national, state and local politics play a major role in elections, the Student Government Association (SGA) wanted to remind students that they also have a voice in the campus community as well.
Representing the SGA at the event were seniors Heather Francis, the executive treasurer, and Jillian Royal, the executive secretary.
“We need to be able to be engaged in how structure [of the government] is working,” Francis said.
SGA Secretary Jillian Royal (left) and SGA Treasurer Heather Francis (right) pose next to their table representing the Student Government Association (SGA).
Rebecca Serviss | The Montclarion Photo credit: Rebecca Serviss
Francis encouraged others to take part in what is going on in the world around them and to stand up for what they believe in.
“I think that if people take back or at least start to be involved and care about politics, we can do a lot of good and make it more fair and equal in terms of bipartisanship,” Francis said.
