By Troy Lippman
As the upcoming election approaches, students gathered to learn more about their voting rights at the University Student Union on Oct. 28.
The Associated Students Inc. Judiciary Branch hosted the event including several associate panelists who provided attendees information about voter rights.
Topics addressed included access to polling locations and time off work. Students also asked panelists about questions regarding understanding voter rights.
One question asked was how to engage students in the voting process. The panelists informed attendees that ASI Lobby Corps had been conducting tablings on campus throughout the last month to educate students about how matters such as policies and propositions affect students and why it is important to have students’ voices be heard through voting. Lobby Corps have also held events to discuss topics including the outcome of voting.
Early voting and mail in ballots were also discussed at the event and how it can be more convenient for some people to vote at home by mailing in rather than going in-person to vote.
Katherine Garcia-Guerrero, a sophomore political science and international studies major, learned more about what she can do as an active voter and said the meeting was very beneficial to her.
“Something I learned was that you can request for your work to give you paid time off so that you are able to go vote, which I found helpful,” Garcia-Guerrero said. “I also learned how you are able to track your ballot.”
Third-year kinesiology major, Dollin Ha said he learned of many voting resources he was unaware of prior to the event.
“One thing I learned was getting two hours of paid time off to vote so that was cool and also about other resources I can use for voting,” Ha said.
Student voters should choose a voting method that best fits them and their preferences. In order to be registered to vote in the state of California, you must be a citizen of the US and at least 18 years old. California is a same-day voter registration state, however, people are encouraged to register prior to voting at vote.ca.gov.
Long Beach State will have a voting center on campus at the Walter Pyramid starting on Nov. 2 which will allow students to drop off their ballots on campus. It will be open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. in the days preceding the election and from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Election Day.
Student voters that work can request paid time off from their employer two days prior to the election providing them two hours to vote on Election Day.
