Luther to hold early Election Day Oct. 7

Luther College will implement a satellite voting procedure Oct. 7 in which students may reregister to vote in Winnishiek County and vote in both the local and presidential elections.

According to Students for Barack Obama President Steven Thai (‘11), the early voting process is different from absentee voting in a number of ways.

“Students reregister for Winnishiek county and then they vote right here on campus,” said Thai.

Politically active students have manned tables outside the cafeteria with registration forms over the past two weeks and some have canvassed residence halls to encourage the early vote.

Without satellite voting, students must obtain absentee ballots from their home counties or reregister and vote in Decorah.

“The aim is to increase voter turnout and general awareness on campus,” Thai said. “We want everyone to vote, both Democrats and Republicans.”

According to John Moeller, professor of political science and director of Ethics and Public Life, the addition of the satellite location will be especially beneficial for college students.

“The advantage is obvious: voting turnouts in America have been low for some time and the argument is that with fewer barriers more people will vote,” Moeller said. “This is true for a lot of groups but certainly applies to college students if there is a satellite spot set up on campus.”

But the satellite voting initiative is also raising a number of questions about the side-effects reregistering and privatizing the voting process might provoke.

Nathan Treloar, communications director for the Republican Party of Iowa, said that although no data exists suggesting reregistration influences local elections, he hopes students take time to learn about local candidates before they vote simply according to party lines.

“We support any way to make to get more people involved in the political process... but we do hope that students educate themselves about the local elections. Especially with same-day voter registration now being legal in Iowa, we worry a bit about the guidelines being strictly followed,” said Treloar.

Despite potential benefits of increased voter turnout, some have concerns that adjustments to the system could diminish the significance of the voting process.

“[Satellite voting] has the potential to turn voting into a private activity,” said Moeller. “I like the idea of voting being a public, civic act whereby we all go to the same polling booth on the same day, talk while we wait in line and get checked off by the same retirees who watch the poll books each election. I think the sense of the public square is further lost when voting occurs all over the place whenever one feels like it.”

Despite concerns, Thai said the number of satellite voting sites has increased and an off-site and early casting process is typical.

“It’s pretty routine, and a lot of campuses already have it set up. This is nothing really new,” said Thai (’08).

Luther students can find registration forms at booths outside the cafeteria or can obtain them from their dorm advisors. Iowa has installed a same-day registration law enabling voters to reregister any time before the election.

“We support any way to get more people involved in the political process... but we do hope that students educate themselves about the local elections. Especially with same-day voter registration now being legal in Iowa, we worry a bit about the guidelines being strictly followed,” said Treloar.

Despite potential benefits of increased voter turnout, some have concerns that adjustments to the system could diminish the significance of the voting process.

“[Satellite voting] has the potential to turn voting into a private activity,” said Moeller. “I like the idea of voting being a public, civic act whereby we all go to the same polling booth on the same day, talk while we wait in line and get checked off by the same retirees who watch the poll books each election. I think the sense of the public square is further lost when voting occurs all over the place whenever one feels like it.”

Despite concerns, Thai said the number of satellite voting sites has increased and an off-site and early casting process is typical.

“It’s pretty routine, and a lot of campuses already have it set up,” said Thai. “This is nothing really new.”

Early voting is allowed in 23 states according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

Luther students can find registration forms at booths outside the cafeteria or can obtain them from their hall directors.

Students from out of state may choose between voting with an absentee ballot from their home state or registering as a Decorah resident.

Voting absentee allows people to vote for local leaders from their hometown rather than Decorah candidates if they prefer.

Iowa has installed a same-day registration law enabling voters to reregister any time before the election.

While it is still best to register early, voters can register as late as Election Day.

Luther’s early satellite vote takes place Oct. 7 with the general election following Nov. 4.