On a sunny Tuesday on the campus of California State University, Northridge (CSUN) – exactly one week before Election Day, Nov. 3 – a group in the student quad suddenly broke into dance. Grooving along to Janelle Monáe’s political anthem “Turntables” next to a voter registration table, their message was clear: “Vote!”
Organized by Woodland Hills Indivisible, the flash mobbers weren’t the only ones there urging students to vote. Duski Wanamaker, treasurer of Northridge Indivisible and founder of Raising Canes, an advocacy group that supports seniors, was also there, speaking with young people, answering their questions and registering them to vote – as she has done multiple times before.
“Over the last three to four weeks we have not had one quiet moment at our table,” said Wanamaker. Many of the students they meet often “know they want to register to vote, know they know they want to vote, but they don’t know how,” she added.
“Quite a few students come back to stop and say hi and tell us if they were able to vote and how it went,” she continued. “It’s been great.”
Cathy Barba, 22, who recently re-registered to vote with Wanamaker, said she tries to do her part to encourage her classmates, friends and family to vote.
“I try to reach out to them and give them information so that they feel like it’s not all on them alone to figure it all out, and that helps,” said Barba, adding that she and her three college roommates are all voting. “We have a [voting center] here on campus, which I think encourages a lot of people who are here to do it because that makes it easy and accessible.”
Wanamaker hopes that more eligible voters will follow her lead, especially young people. This particular afternoon at CSUN was their last voter registration drive on campus before Election Day, contributing to a sense of urgency, said Wanamaker.
“The latest count of early voting to date shows that only about 4% of young people have voted so far,” she continued, adding that she hopes they can help improve that number “just a little.”
Fellow Indivisible member Dessa Kaye, who has also been volunteering in recent voter registration efforts at CSUN, said she finds it discouraging and worrisome when she encounters young people who are indifferent or even apathetic about voting, with no interest in doing so.
“Many young people just don’t see it yet; they don’t understand the importance,” said Kaye, as her eyes welled up with tears. “I’ve actually been quite moved by the number of young people who tell me, ‘I’m never going to vote. I don’t believe it makes a difference.’ And that just hurts.”
But 18-year-old CSUN student Julie Enriquez is not one of those young people.
“We are all affected by what happens and what goes on in our society. So voting is very important,” said Enriquez. “It’s very important to get your voice out there and vote.”
Although Oct. 19 was the last day to register to be guaranteed a vote-by-mail ballot, people can register up to and on Election Day, but must register and vote in person, explained Wanamaker. She is keeping her fingers crossed for a big voter turnout, especially with so many important issues on the line, including homelessness and seniors.
“Democracy demands participation, and I was raised by people who believe that, and I liked the idea of passing that on,” said Kaye. “One of the most gratifying things to do is just to get people to recognize the privilege, as well as the responsibility, that this country affords us.”
