The New School University Student Senate (USS) teamed up with the American Library Association (ALA) and the League of Women Voters for the Reader. Ready. Voter. Campaigns. They set up pop-up tables in the University Center lobby for students to register to vote, with today being their last day of holding booths.

Student Senate Chair Adam Young said that all students, regardless of their eligibility to vote, are welcome to come to the tables, interact with the Senate, and take advantage of the resources they have available. 

At the event, senators helped students fill out paperwork and register to vote. They also provided resources for international students on how they can become United States citizens if they are interested. 

The Student Senate encouraged students to explore the resources available such as the QR codes at the booths, information on civic engagement and more on US citizenship. 

At the event, students were able to look up their registration information and change their registered state as well. 

“It’s such a project that I’m putting dear to my heart, it’s something that I always wanted … Nicole LaMoreaux from the libraries reached out and said, “Hey, we have this small little project we might want to do,” and I knew right then and there that it was not going to be a small project. This was going to be something very big,” Young said. 

According to Young, voting is crucial because it gives people a voice in politics and it pushes against the rhetoric that civilian votes “don’t matter,” at the end of the voting process.  “Registering people to vote, encouraging them to vote, gets the word out,” Young said.

Director of Advocacy and ALA member Nicole LaMoreaux said, “It is important to me that The New School community members have an opportunity to ask questions, get reliable information, learn where they could create a voting day plan, and register to vote.”

“Participation has been amazing. We’re on track to have over 1,000 people registered by mid-October,” said Young. The senate is trying to encourage voting around the presidential election voting day among all the different New School buildings. 

Ariana Rice, a student at the School of Jazz and Contemporary Music said, “I think it’s a great thing that they’re doing because I think everybody should be able to vote and if they have the chance, to make an effort and a good change in the country.”