USG discusses voter registration initiatives, student communication

The Undergraduate Student Government discussed initiatives to promote voter registration and better student communication in its first general meeting of the year on Sept. 25.

The registration initiative resulted from a collaboration with several other student groups, including the Whig-Clio Society, Princeton Votes, and the Interclub Council, according to Campus and Community Affair Chair Michael Cox ‘17.

“Whig-Clio and the ICC have a joint initiative, and the USG will be working with the residential colleges,” Cox said.

USG President Aleksandra Czulak '17 said that Princeton Votes spearheaded the campaign for voter awareness in the previous two elections, and that Whig-Clio recently joined the effort for the current election cycle.

Czulak said that the week-long effort begins on Monday, Sept. 26, with a public screening of the presidential debate in Richardson Hall and culminates with Princeton’s Voter Registration Day on Friday, Sept. 30. She added that social media will primarily be used to promote the week’s main voter registration event.

Cox said that while National Voter Registration Day is on Tuesday, Sept. 27, Princeton’s Voter Registration Day was moved to a more convenient date in order to encourage greater student participation.

Princeton Votes will set up booths on Princeton Voter Registration Day that streamline the registration process for students, Czulak said. She added that they would have checklists at each booth as a means to track the number of participating students.

Czulak said that the booths will be located in the eating clubs, Whig-Clio buildings, Fine Hall, Frist Campus Center, and in each residential college. She added that the majority of the booths will be open from noon to 6 p.m., with the exception of those in Fine Hall, which will operate from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Each booth will include New Jersey voter registration forms, laptops where voters can register in their home states, and short pamphlets with information about the registration process and commonly asked questions. Czulak said that the booths will hopefully include stamps, so that registering voters can mail their forms out on site. Information about absentee ballots will also be provided.

Czulak said that the Whig-Clio Society plans to have additional events covering the presidential debates throughout the course of the election. She added that the meeting addressed various ideas about promoting communication between USG and the student body on important issues.

“We want to have pulse tests to measure student reactions to topics that resonate with them,” Czulak said. She added that the tests would be surveys sent through e-mail.

Czulak noted an example in which she met with a former president of the Interclub Council to discuss data about student perceptions regarding their initial eating club choices.

Get the best of ‘the Prince’ delivered straight to your inbox. Subscribe now »

Communications Committee Public Engagement Co-Chair David Lopera ‘19 added that his committee was looking for new student additions to help manage its website and social media.

Czulak added that USG also discussed initiatives to encourage greater student involvement in the upcoming senate referendum.

“One of the biggest questions we have to face is how to get a higher turnout,” Czulak said.

She noted that allowing more student group representatives, such as athletes, into future USG meetings as well as improving relationships with existing representatives could facilitate greater student participation. Czulak also said she would be meeting with administrators, including University President Eisgruber ‘83, to discuss the issue.