Kachelle Pratcher and
Taylor Bemberry
Blue & White Flash / Staff Writers
More than 80 volunteers participated in the Jackson State University chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) Voter Registration Action Day and the This Is My Vote Mississippi Campaign to turn up the vote and get people registered. The event, which was held Sept. 15, canvassed the surrounding streets of the metro-Jackson area.
“This event was ultimately assembled in reverence of our late President Mr. Michael Teasley. The overall mission of Action Day was to highlight the importance of voting and voter registration,” said JSU NAACP chapter president Jason Hardiman, a senior biology pre-vet major from Jackson, Miss.
He added, “Because a lot of people don’t know their rights, the NAACP acts as the people’s voice and organizing this event was a big thing. Getting people registered to vote is a timeless effort that many people have died for and exercising your right to vote is a must. So ‘Turn Up The Vote.’”
In attendance were 100 volunteers including Blackburn Middle school students, Jackson State staff and students, NAACP members and the Student Government Association.
“As a student I know the importance of voting for this years’ election, canvassing the streets I hope we made an effort to increase voting to all,” said junior mass communications major Manisha Heard from Clinton, Miss.
This Is My Vote, a statewide project conducted by the NAACP, will register thousands of Mississippians to vote and equip communities with the resources to fight back against attacks on voting rights. There is no voting ID law in Mississippi, so individuals can’t be turned away from the voting polls because of an ID.
Volunteers walked around the neighborhoods with their Jackson State and This Is My Vote apparel with clipboards chanting ‘This is my vote, turn up the vote’ while knocking on doors and stopping cars asking individuals if they are registered to vote. Splitting up into various teams gave each group certain areas to canvass.
“I had a lot of fun today registering voters. I never knew that walking up the streets would get a response from people and they actually took the time to register on the spot,” said Knesha Thomas, a junior accounting major from Anguilla, Miss.
Jackson State voter registration is happening on campus every day until October 6, Monday-Friday 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Ayer Hall. If you live on campus, you can vote!
The NAACP in conjunction with the Student Government Association (SGA), Royal Court, NPHC, RHA and many other organizations around campus will host forums, hot spots, and voter registration drives to get the message of voting importance across to the student body.
“Registering over 50 individuals to vote, I feel that Action Day was a HUGE success. We really relayed the message to our community on how important it is to get out and vote, letting their voice be heard,” said Hardiman.
Brian Wilks, JSU SGA President, was also in attendance at the “Turn Up The Vote event.
“The Student Government Association has partnered with the Margaret Walker Alexander Research Center and the JSU NAACP to coordinate the “For My People” Voter Registration Drive that is happening now until Oct. 6, 2012. It goes on in Ayer Hall, Monday through Friday from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. It’s a great idea and it’s doing well, but we need more students to get involved. We need students to know that if they live on campus, they can vote on campus. We want to make sure they know that they will NOT NEED A VOTER ID in this year’s election,” said Wilks
He added, “We want students to know that their vote affects their financial aid, health care, finding jobs after graduation, starting families, buying homes, being safe, having healthy air and water, and so much more. We need every eligible JSU student registered to vote for this year’s election. So far we are doing good at that, but that’s the easy part. Getting them out to VOTE is the Challenge of the hour.”
For more information on getting registered to vote on campus contact Keith McMillian with One JSU Voter Registration Campaign at 601-979-1563 or email him at keith.l.mcmillian@jsums.edu or thisismyvote2012@gmail.com.
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