Virginia Tech Organizations Encouraging Students to Vote in Upcoming Virginia Election

Nov. 7, 2023, is Election Day in Virginia, where Republicans hope to flip the State Senate while Democrats hope to keep control of the State Senate and possibly flip the Virginia House of Representatives. At Virginia Tech, many different organizations, including VT Engage, Young Democrats and Collegiate Republicans are working to increase voter turnout among students.

For the 2023 school year VT Engage created a new position called Civic Engagement Coordinator. Billy McKeon was hired to fill this position.

The goal for this position is to create, “thoughtful discussions that can be solution oriented,” said McKeon. VT Engage also releases non-partisan information for students surrounding candidates.

VT Engage strives to get students registered to vote. McKeon said they are working with the Hokie Vote Caucus to spread the information about how students can register to vote. This is done through posters, tabling around campus and events between Oct. 19 and Nov. 6.

Young Democrats at Virginia Tech is also working on getting students registered in the upcoming months. Russell Swartz, the President of Young Democrats, said that the organization is working closely with Lily Franklin, the Democratic Candidate for Delegate in Virginia's 41st District.

Swartz said that abortion rights is the leading issue that the organization is focusing on to get students out to the polls in November. The organization is spreading awareness about Franklin through knocking on doors, phone banking and hosting events on campus with Franklin.

Knocking on doors and hosting events is also the game plan for Collegiate Republicans at Virginia Tech. Ashley Covitz, the Chairman of Collegiate Republicans at Virginia Tech said that rather than focusing on early voting, they are focusing more on getting students to vote at Squires Student Center on Election Day.

Collegiate Republicans at Virginia Tech are also focusing on getting students registered to vote, especially registered to vote in Montgomery County, Va. said Covitz. Collegiate Republicans at Virginia Tech encourage students to vote where they live for most of the year, in turn making a more direct impact on their living situation.

VT Engage, Young Democrats and Collegiate Republicans at Virginia Tech encourage students to get registered to vote on Nov. 7, 2023.