The N.C. A&T SGA exercised their Constitutional right and ensured the rights of other Aggies by incorporating a voter registration table for the student body on National Voter Registration Day.
#RealAggiesVote was an event held in partnership with representatives from the NC Common Cause and the Office of Student Development. It took place at the hub of campus in the student center on Tuesday Sept. 24, 2019.
As students began to flood the voter registration tables, some had questions regarding re-registration and some made comments on their lack of interest in politics.
“It is our civic duty to vote, and it is one of the ways we can use our voices to be heard,” said Aigné Taylor, sophomore political science student and SGA Political Action Committee chairperson. “A lot of students feel that their voices are being diminished, but that’s why we strive even more to register and advocate for students.”
N.C. A&T’s Attorney General Brenda Caldwell took the voter registration initiative to social media with the hashtag #RealAggiesVote.
“To make it a part of our culture, we wanted to present the idea that if you want to be a real Aggie, you are going to vote,” Caldwell said. “It’s important for students to see their peers excited about voting by doing that we are encouraging them to vote as well.”
Reminded by the model of leadership and civic engagement upon completing the voter registration form, students enjoyed fellowship, pictures with their voting buttons, giveaways and food handed out by volunteers.
Many students like freshman biology student Michael Bivits reflected on the process.
“Registering to vote is easy, and it only takes like five minutes,” Bivits said. “A long time ago, we didn’t even get to vote. So, to have the opportunity to do so is really historic for all of us.”
The Gilmore Administration, NC Common Cause and Office of Student Development registered 648 students to vote by the conclusion of the event, according to Caldwell.
“The committee’s efforts do not stop here. Now it’s time to make sure we get those student voters to the polls,” said Correggio Peagler, sophomore biology student and College of Science and Technology senator.
