Low Student Registration in D.C. Still a 'Step in the Right Direction'

Georgetown University political groups have helped to register a small portion of the student body using TurboVote and Georgetown's DC Students Speak organization is relatively satisfied with the small number of students who registered in the District of Columbia.

“It’s not where we want to be, but it’s a step in the right direction,” said Trevor Tezel, a Georgetown University sophomore involved Georgetown University student voter registration. 

Tezel is the Georgetown University chair of DC Students Speak and the Georgetown University College Democrats spokesperson.

The Georgetown University College Democrats and Republicans and the school’s chapters of DC Students Speak and National Association for the Advancement of Colored People went from dorm to dorm during ‘Dorm Storm’ registration drives on Sept. 24 and 25. They helped students register to vote, request absentee ballots or sign up for election updates online using TurboVote. 

According to Kara Bandeisky, Georgetown University Student Association spokesperson, 1,089 students logged on to TurboVote, but only 708 registered to vote during the registration drive. Of those, an even smaller number of students registered to vote in the District of Columbia. The 247 who chose D.C. is 3 percent of the 7,590-student body.

Katie Bolas, Georgetown University sophomore and communications director for Georgetown University College Republicans, called the outcome of TurboVote registration drives “relative.” 

“You don’t really have a gauge of students who were registered before,” said Bolas.

Tezel was not disappointed with the registration drive’s outcome. He repeatedly told Patch he was pleased to see that 247 students registered in the District of Columbia, since DC Students Speak advocates for D.C. college students’ involvement in local politics.

“We have good reason to be happy,” said Tezel. “Other groups were not pushing for D.C. registration like our group.”

Bolas said choosing which state to register to vote in is a “personal decision.” Georgetown University College Republicans just wanted to see students participating in the 2012 election.

“We didn’t feel it was our place to advocate for the District of Columbia,” said Bolas.

DC Students Speak is a fairly new organization. Tezel said the group is still trying to get “footing” but says progress is being made. He does not believe the number of students who register in the District of Columbia would have been as larger 3 years ago.

Tezel is not yet registered in The District of Columbia. He said he focused on campus-wide voter registration efforts too much and neglected his own. He called this a “fumble up.” 

“I probably could have been a better example by getting my information in sooner, “ said Tezel, whose paperwork to transfer his registration from Florida to the District of Columbia is “still processing.”

The deadline for mail in and online registration was Oct. 9.

On Sept. 30, DC Students Speak tweeted “In DC, you do have the right to same-day register on Election Day, but as a student it will be harder. Try to register before Oct. 9th!”

Tezel and other students still have time to register. The last day to register in person at the Old Council Chambers at One Judiciary Square is this Friday, Oct. 19. However, students may register at their voting precinct on Election Day.