By Mel Carmel\u00a0\/\/ <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The League of Women Voters visited Hood College on Sept. 15 to provide students with information about voter registration, elections and how to become informed voters in the Whitaker Campus Center for National Voter Registration Day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The volunteers, Betty Mayfield, Marianne Erlichman and Sharen Neale, spoke with students throughout the day as part of National Voter Registration Day activities. The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that works to educate voters and encourage civic participation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOur motto, even, is empowering voters and defending democracy,\u201d Neale said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The organization was founded in 1920, the same year women gained the constitutional right to vote nationwide. Neale said the League originally focused on educating women who were newly eligible to vote and has since expanded its work to include all voters. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThat’s really what we do now, is to make sure people are informed, educated voters,\u201d Neale said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
At Hood, the volunteers provided students with information about checking their voter registration status and learning about the candidates and issues in their voting districts. Neale said many students were unsure whether they were registered or how to find election information. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe’re just letting them know, as Sharen says, how to find out what’s going on,\u201d Mayfield said. The League also provides a voter’s guide, which is available online and will be published in print later in October. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The volunteers also offered applications for people interested in becoming election judges. Neale said League volunteers are trained to register voters and to assist with looking up voter registration status. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The League’s presence at Hood also highlighted its longstanding relationship with the college. Mayfield said the two organizations have worked together for years, and Neale said the League returns to Hood every election year. At one point, Hood had a student chapter of the League of Women Voters. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe’re hoping that maybe that can be revived,\u201d Mayfield said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Professor Tim Jacobsen also stopped by the table and showed the volunteers a video created by students in his Visual Media Production III class. The video promoted National Voter Registration Day and asked Hood students and staff why they believe voting is important. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSo, we appreciate the efforts Hood is making to get picked up,\u201d Mayfield said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The volunteers also said they were encouraged by the students they met throughout the day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt’s heartening to see how many kids or young people are registered,\u201d Neale said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The students were \u201cunfailingly cheerful and friendly and polite,\u201d Mayfield said, while Neale added that they were very open to discussing voting and their registration status. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Erlichman said she was surprised by how many students did not know whether they were registered, where they could vote, or when Election Day was. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI’m hoping by being here, we’re giving them some information that they can use in their own lives,\u201d Erlichman said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The volunteers also emphasized the importance of participating in elections. Neale described voting as both a right and a responsibility, while Mayfield said \u201cIf you don’t vote, you can’t complain.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
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