During this year’s gubernatorial elections, there will be
no voting locations on the UCLA campus.
This might come as a shock to returning students who are
accustomed to having polls throughout campus.
UCLA and its community are not the only ones affected by the
decrease in the number of polling locations ““ the
ramifications of the decrease will be felt statewide.
Some traditional polling locations will be changed or omitted
““ a change some say could result in added confusion and
ultimately a decrease in voter turnout.
“When polls are on campus, it’s more accessible and
convenient for students to stop by and vote,” said Cynthia Au
Yeung, a second-year undeclared student.
During the 2002 gubernatorial election, Los Angeles County had
5,000 polling locations.
That number is considerably higher than the 1,800 locations
ready for Tuesday’s election. This could discourage students
who are not eager to vote from going to the polls.
Though finding polling locations that correspond with
students’ residences can become a hassle, it has not stopped
students from finding other ways to vote.
Many students choose to vote in absentee form rather than to
register with their university addresses, which in many cases
change yearly.
Absentee voters have until 8 p.m. on election day to return
their ballots to any voting location in their county or their
respective county elections offices.
Mail-in ballots must be received by elections officials by the
same time.
While some students choose to vote by absentee ballot to
eliminate their election-day problems, there are others like
Jonathan Lee, a first-year graduate student studying computer
science, who will be making it a priority to vote on Tuesday.
Lee lives in an apartment adjacent to the UCLA campus and has
registered to vote under that address.
Though he has already received his sample ballot, Lee said he
was unclear as to where he would have to go to cast his vote.
His plan is to try and vote during the morning hours to allow
himself ample time to find his location.
“I will vote, unless it comes down to the last minute, and
I haven’t found (the location),” Lee said.
It is important for voters to know that their votes will not be
counted unless they vote at their designated polling locations.
Though all voting locations will be off-campus, on-campus
residents’ voting locations will differ based on which
residential hall or suite they live in.
Voters should refer to the back of their sample ballots for
assigned voting locations and operation hours.