Liberty Aides Students With Voter Registration in Preparation for Election Day

With the 2020 presidential election around the corner, Liberty University’s Office of Student Life has completed its voter registration drives on campus and is now working to prepare the on-campus polling location for Election Day. 

Blake Levin, associate director of Voter Registration and social media director for the Office of Student Life, sees a lot of enthusiasm from Liberty students about voting in the 2020 presidential election. 

“From the students I’ve talked to, I’d have to say they are more encouraged, and they feel that they want to make a difference and they want to vote in this election,” Levin said.

According to Ted Whitney, executive director of Student Life, the department promoted voter registration by placing posters in all residence halls, table cards in all of the dining facilities and graphics on televisions across campus and on MyLU. Levin promoted voter registration by making personal appearances and participating in an article in the Liberty Champion. The Office of Student Life also sent out texts and emails to students. 

“We are just blitzing as much as we can all over campus,” Levin said. “Especially with this election, and because our voting place right now, our polling place, has temporarily changed as well.”

The new polling location on campus is now on the third floor of Montview in the grand ballroom. Students can vote between 6 a.m. and 7 p.m. on Nov. 3.

The Office of Student Life has implemented procedures to ensure a smooth voting process at the polling location. According to Whitney, in collaboration with city officials and other offices on campus, they have a layout for election day to be compliant with COVID-19 requirements as well as the requirements for any voting location. 

“We have met with the city officials to walk through the Montview Alumni Ballroom to come up with a workable layout for election day,” Whitney said. “We have collaborated with several offices across campus to improve the student experience on election day.” 

On the day of the election, Levin and the precinct captain will show up at the polls between 2:30 a.m. and 3 a.m. before students begin arriving. Levin has also prepared a floor plan beforehand, met with all the city officials and walked through the process with the precinct captain and the assistant precinct captain. 

“We do the best we can to ensure a very smooth operation from the moment a student shows up to vote, or many students show up to vote, to the time they leave the polling place,” Levin said. 

The voting process on campus this year will be different from previous election years because of COVID-19. According to Whitney, students will be required to wear a face mask and social distancing will be encouraged. Chairs in the waiting area will be spaced appropriately apart.

Students should also know that sample ballots will be available before they walk into the voting room, according to Levin. 

“There’s going to be a tent outside the building or a person outside who is going to offer them  the sample ballots,” he said. 

Students can also prepare for election day by viewing the candidates and referendums on the Virginia Department of Elections website, according to Whitney.

According to Levin, Students should arrive earlier than later to vote because they are expecting a large voter turnout. 

“I’m assuming by the time we get the students through and out the door, it’s going to be at least an hour to a two-hour process to get through the voting just for the amount of people we are expecting to be there,” Levin said. 

Levin wants voters to have a good experience and hopes to see all voters, and especially first-time voters, come out to LU’s polling location on Election Day. 

“I want them to feel that they are very involved, feel a part of the political process  and I want them to feel and know that this is a campus-friendly, non-partisan, university vote,” Levin said. “It doesn’t matter if they’re Republican or a Democrat.” 

It is important for students to participate in voting so their voices can be heard, he said. 

“It’s their future as well as my future and more important, it’s their right and duty as American citizens to get out and vote,” Levin said. “Everybody can sit there and complain ‘oh my vote doesn’t matter,’ well if you don’t try, how do you know?” 

Mia Nelson is a News Reporter.