Penn Leads the Vote hosted a voter registration drive Tuesday on Locust Walk for National Voter Registration Day.
PLTV is a nonpartisan, student-run organization focused on boosting voter registration and engagement in the Penn community. By Tuesday afternoon — about halfway through the event — PLTV members said they had helped more than 300 students register to vote.
PLTV members also provided students with information about voting and upcoming elections while they engaged in other activities at the table.
In an effort to make registration easily accessible, Penn Leads the Vote offered students pre-filled forms for specific college houses. The group also distributed merchandise, buttons, and stickers, while offering tote bag screen printing, photo opportunities with our mascot, and food to encourage participation.
“We want to make sure people understand how fun and important civic engagement is, that it's not only a right, but also a responsibility,” College senior and PLTV co-President Sarah Oburu told The Daily Pennsylvanian.
College junior Ashley Kim — PLTV’s other co-president — echoed Oburu’s sentiment.
“We really want to create excitement and passion, and really want to create a sense of community around civic engagement this year,” she said.
A few prominent members of Penn’s faculty stopped by the event, including Vice Provost for Education Russell Composto, College of Arts and Sciences Dean Peter Struck, and Dean of Nursing Antonia Villarruel.
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Students at the registration table noted their appreciation for the event.
“Part of the reason I was excited to come to the University of Pennsylvania is knowing that my vote will have an actual impact here, opposed to back home in Connecticut,” College first year Caity Yang said in an interview with DP.
“Sometimes it is hard to figure out voter registration, so I think events like this are really great in making voting more accessible,” added College first year Mira Agarwal.
The last day to register to vote in Pennsylvania is Oct. 20. Election day this year will take place on Nov 4.
