AL STRAIN STAFF WRITER
The Wartburg-Waverly Sports and Wellness Center will be available as a satellite voting station on Tuesday for students and community members to vote in the upcoming election.
Fred Waldstein, director for the Institute of Leadership Education, said students should get out and exercise their civic duty to vote.
“Students have a stake in what happens in local government, they also have a responsibility to exercise their rights and freedom to vote,” said Waldstein.
In order for “The W” to be made into a satellite voting station, students proposed the site and had it approved by the county auditor.
Students had to gather 100 signatures on a petition that stated support for “The W” being another polling station in Waverly.
Waldstein said over 200 signatures were collected.The initiative was led by student senate.
The reason for the polling station being in “The W” was a matter of proximity, Waldstein said.
“It requires little time or effort, and there is clear social science evidence that shows. . . there is a correlation between distance and turnout,” said Waldstein.
He said having “The W” available as a satellite voting station is beneficial not only to students but also to faculty and community members.
Any U.S. citizen can vote at the satellite voting station, and with Wartburg’s campus being more central than other Waverly polling sites, turn out is expected to be higher, Waldstein said.
Students interested in voting are able to register on-site. The voter must show valid identification and proof of residence at the college or in Waverly.
The Residence Life Office will provide that information upon request to students.