Students at FAMU have been getting geared up for early voting this past week and next week in Tallahassee. Early voting for the 2016 general election runs from Oct. 24th - Nov. 6th.
A new initiative on-campus to getting out the vote is Vote Mob with the Florida Student Power Network. Vote Mob is a state-wide network that organizes youth leaders to vote, addresses the issues that matter to them, and engages students on-campus with those issues to create solutions to help our communities both pre and post-election. These issues include education, health, student debt, minimum wage, racial justice, climate justice, women's rights, LGBTQ rights, immigration and money in politics.
Mariah Depass, a junior Broadcast Journalism student and Campus Fellow of Vote Mob said "I look forward to seeing the Florida Student Power Network build and expand on FAMU's campus."
Other than promoting voter registration, education and community issues, Vote Mob is supporting For FAMU's Future, a "people-driven organization committed to serving progressive values," to organize students on-campus. For FAMU's Future is leading the effort to transport students to the voting polls every weekday from 10 AM - 5:30 PM leading up until Nov. 6. There is a booth- located by the FAMU Cafeteria off the intersection of Gamble St. and Wahnish Way- where students can sign up on-the-spot or schedule a time and date to be shuttled to and from the polls.
Treasure Glover, a senior Public Relations student and For FAMU's Future Organizer said "It is important that students exercise the right that their ancestors have worked strategically for. As student of an HBCU, the history of our grandfathers and grandmothers should not be ignored."
Students can register to vote up anytime until the last day, Nov. 6th, and vote same-day. There will be staff and volunteers available to assist and answer all questions such as, what identification is required to vote, or what is my registration status? In addition, students may check their voter registration status by contacting the Supervisor of Elections by phone at (850) 606-8683 or in person.
"Regardless of who one is voting for, it is important for people to give reverence to the people who will come after them by helping to decide the future that they will see as the people before us have done," said Glover.
Students can anticipate seeing Vote Mob and For FAMU's Future events on campus next week, including a panel discussion event, class rap presentations and more. More information will be released about these events in the coming days. Another vital factor is the literature that is available to all students with information on candidates to help each individual cast well-informed votes. If interested in signing up to vote through the shuttle service, simply visit the booth on campus to find out more.
For students who want to take a leadership role by volunteering for Vote Mob, they may fill out a Vote Mob pledge card here. For questions about For FAMU's Future, contact Treasure Glover at treasure1.glover@gmail.com.
