Isaac Tanner

In addition to being Halloween season, it’s also election season when the local, state and federal issues are on the ballot, putting more eyes on voters — including student voters.

Weber State University student Amie Clegg said her first time voting was “a little confusing. Where do I drop it off? How do I fill the paper out properly? What am I supposed to do here?”

Fortunately, Clegg found resources both at home and on campus to help her clarify things and will be voting in this upcoming election.

“While it’s only my one voice, there’s so many people who share the same stances with me,” Clegg said. “We want to see things change. We want to see things happen.”

Weber district residents can find several ballot drop-off boxes on Weber State’s campus. Mail-in ballots are also an option if you’d rather not leave your house.

Weber State University Student Association Executive Vice President Mia Foster noted similarities between Weber State’s approach and that of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas to encourage students to vote.

Both universities have attained a national Voter Friendly Campus designation, two of only 192 institutions to be distinguished as such. While the University of Nevada promotes civic engagement to a degree of 70% voting turnout in 2020, it was also recognized as one of only seven other Hispanic-Serving Institutions to achieve this in 2022 and was top 3% of all collegiate institutions in efficacy of engagement efforts altogether. Weber is improving its efforts as well, as it received a bronze medal for its efforts in 2016 and a silver medal in 2018.

Foster said there’s more pressure to vote when living in a swing state.

“You have no idea what it’s going to be. Are we going to be red? Are we going to be blue? It’s kind of a mystery,” Foster said. “I believe that, no matter what, your vote counts. Even if you’re in a state that’s significantly red or blue.”