Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon visited St. Cloud State University on Sept. 17 for National Voter Registration Day, speaking to assembled students, employees and community members about the importance of voting in the upcoming election. The event was arranged by Campus Involvement as part of SCSU’s Get out the Vote efforts.
Simon discussed how the state has passed recent laws to make voting even easier and more accessible for Minnesotans.
“Three out of the last four elections we were number one in America in voter turnout,” Simon said about Minnesota’s voting record. “We’re lucky we live in a place where it’s easy to register, easy to vote and have great security features in place.”
Simon added that he hopes for two things in the upcoming election: high turnout and low drama. He detailed steps taken to ensure legitimate voting results and how students can register to vote in St. Cloud despite their hometown being in a different part of the state.
“I hope that everyone who is eligible to vote does; it’s only 49 days away, but it’s super, super easy to do it in Minnesota,” Simon said. “The difference between not voting and voting is the difference between being a passenger on the ship and helping steer the ship. If you want to help steer the ship even a little bit, you’ve got to vote.”
Simon concluded with Q&A from the audience to answer any questions or concerns about voting. To learn more about how to register to vote and the information you need to register, visit SCSU’s Get out the Vote website.
