FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Thursday, November 17, 2022
CONTACT: Christine Bolaños, [email protected],(512) 767-2978
JOLT CALLS FOR ON-CAMPUS EARLY VOTING SITES IN AUSTIN RUNOFF ELECTION
AUSTIN, Texas – Jolt Action has joined a coalition of civic engagement groups calling for Travis County to create more early voting locations on college campuses for the December Runoff Election. Our Coalition which includes MOVE Texas, Common Cause Texas, Texas Rising and the Texas Civil Rights Project has successfully advocated for the addition of the Flawn Academic Center at the University of Texas as an early voting site. We are continuing to push for a voting location at St. Edward’s University and urge Travis County and City of Austin officials to approve these sites for the upcoming Runoff Election.
Young people proved they are enthusiastic about participating in our democracy when they turned out in record numbers to vote in the Midterm Elections. The City of Austin is headed to a runoff election, but originally, there were no plans to include an early voting location on the University of Texas at Austin or St. Edward’s University campuses.
“Young Texans showed up in record numbers for the midterms to defend democracy. We need to meet them halfway for these runoffs by making voting safe and easy for students who are working hard to make sure we all have a brighter future,” said Diana Maldonado, Interim Executive Director of Jolt Action.
In previous runoff elections, neither the University of Texas nor St. Edward’s University has had a polling site on campus. Access to a campus polling location is essential to students and faculty, as they juggle busy work and class schedules, which will be especially true as the runoff falls during final exams week. Not having a polling site on campus will deter many students from voting due to many factors including lack of transportation, physical disabilities and time constraints. Lawmakers should be working to make the ballot box more accessible to voters 35 and under, who together form the largest registered voter bloc in Travis County.
“We need to make democracy accessible to everyone by bringing fairness to the placement of polling sites not only in Austin, but in Texas and across the country. Voting should be safe and easy, and adding these polling sites for the runoff could spark change for future elections to make sure everyone can participate in the democratic process,” Maldonado said.