Time is running out to register to vote in Ohio.
The deadline is Oct. 5, and the League of Women Voters of Ohio is getting college students ready to vote before the November midterms.
On Thursday, their “Your Voice, Your Vote, Your Power” tour stopped at Kent State University's Twinsburg Academic Center, where its Airstream trailer was filled with election materials on registering to vote, checking voter registration, voting by mail and researching ballot issues and candidates.
“Our democracy is stronger the more participation we have,” said Trevor Martin, a program coordinator with the League of Women Voters. “The League of Women Voters has been around for more than 100 years. It is a nonpartisan, grassroots organization. We don't advocate at all for any candidates or political parties. We just want to make sure students have the information that they need to make an educated decision at the ballot and make sure they get to the polls.”
Ohio’s midterm election includes a governor’s race and a host of other races and local issues, including tax issues and school levies.
Aaron Kinaitis, a freshman at Kent State University Twinsburg Academic Center, said he recently registered to vote.
I asked him what issues are important to him.
“Just the general cost of living. That's a very key thing to keep an eye on … gas prices especially right now,” Kinaitis said.
Martin said students at rural campuses may sometimes feel left behind.
“I think some of our urban campuses, they get a lot of attention. There's a lot of different organizations that go out there and register folks to vote,” Martin said. “So we're happy to be out here and make sure that they have the information that they need to make educated decisions at the poll.”
Martin said the tour expanded this year to 40 Ohio colleges and universities, double the number of stops from years past.
He said the organization has registered nearly 800 college students to vote and interacted with far more.
Their last event will be Oct. 3 at The Ohio State University.
For more election information, visit the Ohio Secretary of State's website.
