Student Unable to Vote

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   On Nov. 7, my vote was denied.

   The University of Arkansas-Monticello Ambassadors presented a voter registration table in September to give students an opportunity to vote. The incentive for students to register was they could win a $50 savings bond or a Wal-Mart gift card. I was one of the winners of the $50 savings bond. 

   When Election Day came, I went into the court house to find out where I could go to vote and learned that I could not go vote. A Drew County Clerk representative said many UAM students could not vote because they were not registered in Drew County to vote.
Mary Whiting, Admissions director, said, "The voter registration drive was offered on campus, along with booklets regarding voting guidelines. Volunteers assisted with the locations on campus, reminding students to complete all items on the application. Some applications were taken to the county courthouse, while others were mailed from campus.I spoke with a clerk in the courthouse, who said applications received were processed, if information was complete and legible. The clerk also said that some attempts were made to follow up on questionable applications, when necessary items were omitted. I am aware that some students who completed applications did indeed vote."

   On further investigation, I called the clerk’s office and Linna Gulledge, county clerk worker, said, “If any voter registration cards were turned in they would be on file.” If a student filled out the card wrong, the card would be mailed out to them to fill it out properly. Gulledge also said, “If any cards were mailed out, (a copy) would be on file at the court house with the stamped date they were mailed.”

   When I asked her about my voter registration, Gulledge said, “Your voter registration card never made it to the Drew County Clerk office.” Gulledge looked for my card to see if it was mailed for corrections, but she said the card was not on file and had never been processed in the Drew County Clerk office.

   The right for citizens to vote was not only denied for UAM students but also across the nation. Many poll stations machines also had problems which kept citizens form voting in this year’s elections.

   The Drew County Clerk’s Office wants students to know they can still come inside and register to vote, but they could not vote in the previous election, because voter registration cards must be turned in two weeks prior to the election.

   A student not being able to vote means their right to vote has been taken away. This year would have been my first year to vote; now it has to wait to the next election.