Voter registration teams rounded up a rush of last-day sign-ups on Bruin Walk before registration for the June 8 primary closed Monday at 5 p.m. after several weeks of promotion.
Organizers expect to fall short of the goal of 1,000 registrations but said increased awareness was the main objective.
“Anyone we register to vote is important to us,” said fourth-year political science student Caitlin Lawrence-Toombs.
The recent Undergraduate Students Association Council elections detracted focus from the upcoming primary, Lawrence-Toombs added.
However, in general, spring quarter yields lower voter registration levels compared to efforts in the fall.
Second-year anthropology student Kelli Fallon said many people seemed unaware that the election is taking place, despite it involving gubernatorial candidates.
Some of the more notable candidates on the ballot include former California governor Jerry Brown, state insurance commissioner Steve Poizner and eBay CEO Meg Whitman.
“The governor appoints a lot of regents,” Fallon said. “With the budget cuts, this is more important than ever.”
In addition to the gubernatorial candidates, the June primary will also include races for lieutenant governor, secretary of state, treasurer and attorney general, as well as a U.S. Senate seat and several representative positions.
UCLA has not yet reported official numbers of registered voters for the June 8 election.
Presidential election years generate the greatest turnout ““ 8,500 students registered at UCLA prior to the 2008 election, the third most in the UC system, Lawrence-Toombs said.
Without the buzz of a presidential election, student registers have mainly focused this year on institutionalizing the student vote through a variety of outreach methods.
Lawrence-Toombs said that dining halls, Greek fraternities and sororities and political parties have been a part of that effort.
The summer will kick the “Get Out the Vote” campaign into gear, with voter registration teams targeting incoming freshmen in particular for the Nov. 2 election.