College students at the University of Minnesota participated in early voting at a pop-up polling place on campus, organized by student leaders to make voting more accessible. The event brought in over 600 voters in just seven hours, a sign of the enthusiasm among young people for the upcoming presidential election.
Efforts to mobilize college voters are ramping up nationwide, with the Democratic party targeting campuses in critical swing states. Kamala Harris’s campaign, for example, has launched an early voting push aimed at students, including a significant ad buy on social media.
Some states, however, have implemented measures to limit student voting, arguing that it is necessary to prevent voter fraud. The League of Women Voters of Wisconsin has even called for an investigation into text messages targeting young voters to dissuade them from voting.
Despite these challenges, college students are seen as a crucial voting bloc that could potentially tip swing states in the upcoming election. Events like Votechella at UC Berkeley and the opening of voting hubs at universities such as the University of Michigan are engaging students and making voting more accessible.
The pop-up voting site in Minnesota was a hit among students, who appreciated the convenience and opportunity to vote early on campus. One student, Madelyn Ekstrand, voiced her support for issues like abortion access and climate change, expressing her satisfaction at seeing her peers actively participating in the electoral process.
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