The voter registration deadline for Missouri is this Wednesday, Oct. 9. Those wishing to vote in the Nov. 5 election should register online on the Secretary of State’s website. 

If you’re a Democrat, like I am, you might wonder, what’s the point of voting here, dropping a speck of blue into a sea of red? If this is a factor you find yourself considering, do not let a sense of powerlessness deter you from voting in Missouri, for there are key issues where your vote really can influence change.

On Sept. 26, a group of over 35 undergraduate volunteers and members of WashU Votes gathered in the Gephardt Institute’s Stix International House in a frenzy of chatter and excitement. In just a few moments, the group was about to advance to the South 40 for WashU Votes’ annual Canvass the Campus.

“I’ve been in St. Louis for three years now, and I’ve never spent a summer here,” said senior Caroline Fong. She and many other St. Louis Fellows echoed the same sentiment: while WashU is in St. Louis, students find it hard to actually engage with the community. In the business of changing that, the Gephardt Institute runs their St. Louis Fellows Program each summer. 

WashU Votes and Washington University’s Gephardt Institute for Civic and Community Engagement hosted a polling place in the Danforth University Center for the Missouri Municipal Election for the first time in the University’s history, April 2.

The Student Life Editorial Board encourages WashU students to register to vote in Missouri and support this vital initiative.

This country was built on the principle of “no taxation without representation.” And yet, contributing members of our society have continually been denied proper representation.

949 students and community members voted at the Sumers Recreation Center in the midterm elections this Tuesday, Nov. 8. Voters decided on Senate and House seats, police funding, and the legalization of marijuana, among other ballot items. 

With Nov. 8 just around the corner, it is almost time to head to the polls.

Missouri’s new voting identification law went into full effect on Sept. 4, sparking controversy about the constitutionality of its requirements. Missourians who wish to vote in the upcoming election cycle this November must provide a government-issued photo ID, which includes a Missouri driver’s license; a Missouri state ID; or a US passport.