Raise Your Voice stresses the importance of voting

Raise Your Voice is a non-partisan group on campus with the mission to get students registered to vote. 

Every Tuesday from 4-5 p.m. the Raise Your Voice group, also known as #OtterbeinVOTES, can be found in the library at a table in the lounge area by The Bean. This is where the organization helps students register to vote. 

If students are already registered to vote, it can still be helpful to stop by.

“We try to help out as much as we can, like bridging the connections between once you’re registered to vote what do you do,” said Abby Vitali, senior co-leader of Raise Your Voice majoring in economics and English.

An upcoming event hosted by Raise Your Voice is the presidential debate watch party where students can watch a heated debate in a safe and welcoming environment. The event isn’t intended to strike up debates but simply to have a political space without the pressure of needing to defend a side. It will be held Tuesday, Sept. 10 starting at 8:30 p.m. in Roush 114. If a vice president debate occurs, Raise Your Voice hopes to plan for another watch party. 

Raise Your Voice works to be a non-partisan group on campus; they are not attached to any political party.

“We are creating a safer, more inclusive space for people that believe whatever they want, of any party, to just help in getting people out to vote,” Vitali said. While many organizations that encourage others to vote do it to promote a political issue, Raise Your Voice is dedicated to getting everyone to vote on what they are passionate about. 

The organization promotes resources for students to aid in voting, even if a student is denied at the door on election day. Election Protection is a voting resource determined to help voters; a hotline is available that connects to the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law. 

Every resource mentioned by the group is also not affiliated to a certain political party.

“The non-partisan aspect is specifically to ensure that we [don't] focus on politics, but to solely focus on the act of getting people to register,” Vitali said.

Organizations that spread voting awareness have an important role in the election season. Whatever issue is a driving factor, voting is a necessity for change. 

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