After looking over a quickly scribbled-over registration form, fourth-year psychology student Jeff Bonnaud smiled and gave a receipt across the table to another student.
“Congrats, you are now a registered voter in Los Angeles,” he said.
Bonnaud was one of 30 volunteers helping student political groups on Bruin Walk and in other areas on campus Wednesday afternoon.
In the campus-wide registration drive, these groups and volunteers encouraged students to register to vote at their respective tables. The volunteers also walked around holding clipboards with voter registration forms in an effort to reach out to students.
Teddy Schwartz, founder of Bruins for Hillary and a third-year political science student, said he wanted to help those students who care about making changes in the upcoming election.
The Election INVASION committee, part of the external vice president’s office of the Undergraduate Students Association Council, teamed up with a coalition of student political groups that included Bruin Democrats, Bruin Republicans, Bruins for Hillary, Bruins for Kucinich and Bruins for Obama.
About two million more youth voters participated in the 2006 midterm election than in 2002, according to a 2006 press release from the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement. Thirteen percent of the voters in 2006 were under the age of 30.
Third-year political science student Jesse Melgar, director of the Election INVASION Committee, said that his committee was created in response to the growing participation of college-age voters in recent elections.
Melgar added that the committee seeks to promote a similar collective UCLA voting power for the upcoming 2008 presidential election.
The newly formed committee, comprising EVP office representatives, resident assistant delegates from every residential building, and other student leaders, has a goal of targeting potential voters, Melgar said.
The committee led registration drives over a three-day period, including the Bruin Walk drive. The committee aimed to register at least 1,000 students.
During the Bruin Walk drive, fourth-year political science student Shauna Peterson reregistered at the USAC table.
“I think it is important that young people express their opinions and vote,” Peterson said.
Third-year political science student Ashley Wagner said students should view voting as a major priority.
“We should feel eager and proud to vote,” said Wagner, a member of the Bruin Democrats.
Evan Shulman, co-president of Bruins for Kucinich, registered several students in front of Powell Library. He said voting is an appropriate outlet for students to push individual issues.
“It’s all about taking hold of your rights and creating an early habit to care,” he said.
Shulman said that many students do consider registering crucial in their lives.
“Voting can help put the country in the direction you want it to be,” he said.
Resident assistants distributed 3,000 registration forms on Monday.
Melgar said he considers RAs important immediate promoters on the Hill. His committee encouraged RAs to hold individual floor registration drives.
“When there are 150 students pushing for the same thing, that is a huge impact,” Melgar said.
Members of the Election INVASION Committee continued to register students outside the resident dining halls Wednesday evening.
The Election INVASION committee plans to educate students on voting in late January before the primary elections are held.
“Students often believe their votes don’t count,” Melgar said. “It is our goal to help our peers.”