Senator Lea Webb and Cornell Votes Celebrate National Voter Registration Day

ITHACA, NY - On Monday, Senator Lea Webb and her team joined Cornell Votes to take part in National Voter Registration Day, inviting the Cornell community to visit tables outside of Willard Straight Hall, on Ho Plaza, between 4PM and 6PM to check their voter registration status, register to vote, and get information about upcoming elections deadlines. 

“I am thrilled to join Cornell Votes to celebrate National Voter Registration Day, said Senator Lea Webb. “National Voter Registration Day is a non-partisan, civic holiday that is centered on voter education and preparation. We want to make sure everyone is empowered to fully participate in our democracy. That means making sure that all of our neighbors are aware of the voter registration deadlines and policies here in New York, that they have access to election information and their different options for casting a ballot, and most importantly, that they are registered to vote. Thank you to Cornell Votes for all of their efforts to make sure the Cornell community is engaged and ready to participate in November’s local elections.” 

Said Elena Woo, President of Cornell Votes, “Cornell Votes is incredibly excited to be working with Senator Lea Webb to bring attention to the importance of voting on Cornell's campus! We are striving to create a campus culture of civic engagement and making student voices heard. We've seen a great increase in vote turnout in the past elections and are excited to see our impacts in this election cycle as well. We are so grateful to Senator Lea Webb's team, our campus administrators, the Einhorn Center, and all of our student leaders for making this event a success."

Additionally, Senator Webb and her team will be on hand to assist members of the community and answer questions. Cornell students are also invited to come learn about internship opportunities and other ways to get involved. organizations. 

Background (From National Voter Registration Day Org.): 

Every year, millions of Americans find themselves unable to vote because they miss a registration deadline, don’t update their registration, or aren’t sure how to register. As a nonpartisan civic holiday celebrated every September, National Voter Registration Day seeks to make sure each one of these Americans has the opportunity to make sure they’re registered to vote before their next election. 

Americans can register to vote when they turn 18 or become a citizen, but they also need to update their registration for any number of reasons, such as moving to a new address or changing their name. Many Americans are unaware of this need or state registration deadlines, preventing them from voting. 

A 2020 study by the Knight Foundation found that more than one in four unregistered voters (27%) reported not being registered because they didn’t know how, kept forgetting, didn’t have time, were too busy, or recently moved. Among unregistered voters ages 18–24, this number was even higher: 42%.

When the registered voting population doesn’t reflect the population as a whole, we end up with a distorted democracy that fails to reflect the views of the country at large. If we’re going to build a democracy that truly represents us all, the best solution is closing registration gaps through on-the-ground voter outreach that meets often disenfranchised groups where they are.

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