UVUSA encourages students to vote

Ivette Pimentel

October 22, 2021

41,000 flags wave in the wind in front of the Fulton Library, representing students eligible to vote in the 2021 Municipal General Election on Nov. 2. Photo by Ivette Pimentel.
Reading Time: 2 minutes

UVUSA placed approximately 41,000 small flags in the Fulton Library Quad to symbolize voter-eligible members of the student body and encourage them to vote through My Voice Matters Week.

“Each flag represents a student’s voice and the display emphasizes the power our voices have when we work together,” said Daniel Clothier, chief justice for UVUSA. “The different colors symbolize our uniqueness and differing views. The flags will remain there until this Friday, when My Voice Matters Week ends.”

In 2019 Evelyn Shannen, a writer for The Review, wrote, “In the state of Utah, more than 184,000 individuals are registered at a public college, with UVU ranking the highest for having the most students… The state legislature has been pushing campuses to promote more voter involvement. With the 2020 presidential election coming up next year, getting students to vote is an important step to be taking.”

“Despite unique challenges to voter registration and voting created by COVID-19 and heightened concerns about turnout as a result, the 2020 election had the highest voter turnout of the 21st century,” stated Jacob Fabina, a writer for the United States Census Bureau. “The 2020 election featured the largest increase in voters between two presidential elections on record with 17 million more people voting than in 2016, citizens ages 18-34, 57% voted in 2020, up from 49% in 2016.”

According to USA.Gov, congressional elections happen every two years and state and local elections happen every year. “Congressional elections determine who represents your state in Congress. They also decide which political party—Democratic or Republican—will hold a majority in each chamber of Congress for the next two years.”

The Municipal General Election will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 2, 2021.

COVID-19 did not prevent Americans from registering and voting at high rates in 2020. Citizens in 2020 that were 18 and older and didn’t register to vote neglected to do so because of their concerns about COVID-19. 

To learn more about voting or to register to vote visit Utah Vote.