City council elections are less than a month away, and the importance of student votes cannot be stressed enough. The Government of the Student Body realizes this importance and has kicked off a voter drive within the ISU community to assure students are prepared for the elections.

This program is called “ISU Vote,” and its purpose is to “get as many students as possible to vote and send a message to the state and the nation that students are a constituency to be reckoned with,” according to Drew Miller, senior in computer science and chair of the GSB committee on student voting.

The drive works through volunteers from the student community and GSB committee members. These student volunteers and committee members are taking proactive measures in distributing voter registration forms and absentee ballot requests through various means to other students.

By going door-to-door in campus neighborhoods, attending house meetings in the residence halls and working on voting drive projects within the greek community, the word is getting out on a personal level — a level that is so many times unfortunately neglected in today’s technologically-mediated society.

But how exactly does this program work? Students will receive a voter registration form and/or absentee ballot form directly from an “ISU Vote” representative, and they have the option of filling the form out at the time and giving it back or having the same representative come pick up the form later.

If a student has requested an absentee ballot, one will arrive in his or her mailbox a few days after the day “ISU Vote” sends the form in. All the student will have to do then is fill out the absentee ballot and have it picked up by an “ISU Vote” representative. “ISU Vote” will send in all the absentee ballots itself, saving students time and money — both precious commodities, even if postage is only 75 cents.

The last day students can turn in voter registration forms for the Nov.4 election is Oct. 24. Absentee ballots are due by Oct. 30.

Another convenience GSB is trying to provide for students in the upcoming election is satellite voting stations in the commuter lot and near the Hub south of the library. These stations would allow students to vote by absentee ballot in person before the election.

GSB’s attempt to reach out to students and speak to them about the importance of voting is definitely laudable. Student voices can no longer afford to be a mere murmur in the Ames community — students need to get out and vote Nov. 4 for council members who have their interests at heart.

If you would like to volunteer for “ISU Vote,” e-mail [email protected].