Students at CSUCI participate in Ballot Bowl competition ahead of election

The California Students Vote project is up and running just in time for the mid-term election.

Secretary of State, Alex Padilla, introduced a college Ballot Bowl back in August. The goal is to encourage California college campuses to participate in a friendly competition for the highest number of student registered voters.

Only 18% of American college students voted in the 2014 midterm elections, and they are hoping that this Ballot Bowl will help improve those numbers. Next week, Cal State University-Channel Islands (CUSCI) will engage its students in a voter registration Civic Engagement Fair.

“The League of Women Voters were in this meeting specifically today to help train us on all the efforts that they do so that all of our students who are registering other students are on the same page and giving out the correct information to students who want to register to participate,” said Atticus Reyes, who is the Student Body President at CSUCI.

Political Science Professor Tim Allison says American voter participation is among the lowest in the world, but a new voting project might change that. California Secretary of State Alex Padilla introduced a friendly competition among college campuses known as the Ballot Bowl.

“The ballot bowl is an opportunity for students to number one be competitive with their peers at other campus and make a difference locally,” said Allison. “The issues that we are seeing in Washington DC disproportionately affects young people and will affect them for decades. If young people are then motivated and turn out to vote, they can truly make a difference.”

The campus with the highest number of voter registrations will be recognized. Cal State Fullerton currently holds the top spot, but Cal Poly isn’t far behind at 2nd place. CSUCI is hoping to knock them both out after next week.

“I am seeing a lot of interest in this election,” said Reyes. “That is the whole concept of this whole week is really countering narratives that college students are lazy, don’t want to participate, don’t care, and would rather throw our vote away. We are seeing that that isn’t true anymore.”

The competition includes all California State Universities, community colleges and private campuses. The contest will end on October 20, 2018, and a winner will be announced on the October 30th.