SHERMAN, TEXAS — With the 2008 presidential election looming, Austin College student organizations are encouraging students to complete voter registration through numerous on-campus efforts before the October 6 deadline. 

The Austin College Young Democrats and Student Assembly will be organizing voter registration tables in the Robert J. and Mary Wright Campus Center on Oct. 1-2 and Oct. 6.  

“The ideal goal would be for every eligible person who is 18 years of age or older to become registered to vote,” said Monica Martinez ’09, student body president. “When election day rolls around, we will be encouraging students to actually go out and vote.”  

The Young Democrats and Campus Activities Board also will provide televised coverage of the Oct. 7 and Oct. 15 presidential debates in Mabee Hall. On Oct. 28, the campus will host official McCain and Obama spokespersons, and “Presidential Jeopardy” will be held in the Wright Campus Center Pouch Club on Oct. 29 as part of the efforts to increase voter awareness and involvement. 

“The reason why we should become aggressively involved in this year's election is because ultimately the next president will decide young people's future,” said Tela Justice ’09, Young Democrats president. “Many issues like the environment, the economy, and the war are issues that young people like us are affected by everyday. Soon, every student here at Austin College will graduate and be in the real world, and we should have a say in what that world is like.”  

The student groups plan to create non-partisan brochures to inform voters of the presidential candidates’ positions and will provide transportation to early voting on Oct. 21, Justice said. 

Austin College is a leading national independent liberal arts college located just north of Dallas in Sherman, Texas.  Founded in 1849, making it the oldest institution of higher education in Texas operating under original charter and name, the college is related by covenant to the Presbyterian Church (USA). Recognized nationally for academic excellence in the areas of international education, pre-professional training, and leadership studies, Austin College is one of 40 schools profiled in Loren Pope’s influential book Colleges that Change Lives.