Recent malfunctions in Arizona voter registration have emphasized the importance for ASU students and clubs to advise individuals to register.
On Oct. 3, the Arizona Secretary of State's office released a statement informing the public that a voter registration issue that emerged in mid-September had affected an additional 118,000 voters, originally estimated as only 98,000.
Specifically, the issue allowed people to register as full-ballot voters — both state and federal elections — without providing proper proof of citizenship.
The continuation of this problem in Arizona has put a spotlight on voter registration and its importance to many ASU students and clubs.
College Republicans at ASU President Carson Carpenter, a senior studying political science, said informing students on how to properly register has become a key piece of his club's goals.
"We want to make sure that they're doing it (registering) in the correct way, to make sure that their vote is casted and counted," Carpenter said.
Joseph Konnoff, a sophomore studying political science and a volunteer with Students for Harris, also said it is essential for students to stay knowledgeable about their ability to register, no matter their home state.
"Even if you don't have an Arizona ID, you can still register here and vote in the federal elections, which are the House, the Senate and the presidency," Konnoff said.
However, some students are already acutely aware of the impact of registering to vote.
"It's important to learn about how our country works and whatnot, and being able to practice our rights, specifically voters rights," Sam Sloma, a sophomore studying mechanical engineering, said.
The vitality of registration has heavily increased in Arizona, specifically due to the state's divided nature, according to Kim Fridkin, a foundation professor in the School of Politics and Global Studies.
"Democrats and Republicans are going to have to mobilize their supporters to have an edge in the AZ contest since vote preference between Trump and Harris is so close," Fridkin wrote in an email.
Carpenter agreed with these points and highlighted the impact of registration for the parties students choose to support.
"I think 400,000 Republicans last election did not vote, even though they were registered with the Republican Party," Carpenter said. "So that just proves that turnout shouldn't have gone that way, and it was just really a shame."
Konnoff noted a similar situation for the Democratic Party as well.
"Due to college campuses being filled with young people and younger people being more likely to vote Democratic, we've been trying to engage young people and get them out to vote," Konnoff said.
To Fridkin, Democrats had an especially pertinent need to get voters registered and ready to go.
"Traditionally, Democrats have less reliable voters than Republicans so registering Democrats and independents who support Harris is likely a top priority," Fridkin wrote in an email.
Even with the importance of registration, political clubs at ASU aren't ignorant of politically indifferent students.
Konnoff said when informing less politically active students, it is critical to explain that their position to have the opportunity to vote in a pivotal state like Arizona is one that "millions of other people" in non-battleground states would want.
"You have a chance to vote in an election that most others would kill for," Konnoff said.
Voter registration in Arizona for the upcoming 2024 elections ends on Oct. 7. Anyone looking to register online can click here to be redirected to the Service Arizona website. Any additional questions regarding voter registration can be answered at the Arizona Secretary of State's website.
Edited by George Headley, Abigail Beck and Alysa Horton.
Reach the reporter at sluba@asu.edu and follow @samluba6 on X.
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