Kentucky State University was the first stop Monday on a statewide mock election tour by representatives from Secretary of State Trey Grayson’s office.
At the event, KSU students registered to vote and received answers about the voting process and the electronic voting machines.
The mock election the first of its kind at KSU began at 10 a.m. with students filtering into the Carl M. Hill Student Center until 2 p.m. By noon around a dozen students had registered to vote, according to Rebecca Bush, special assistant to the secretary.
Bush said other mock elections would take place over the next two weeks at Western Kentucky University, Eastern Kentucky University, Murray State University, the University of Kentucky, the University of Louisville and Northern Kentucky University.
The votes cast on the electronic E-Slate voting machines in the mock election do not actually count toward the May votes, Bush said. In addition, the mock election consisted only of gubernatorial candidates.
Ashlee Jackson, a senior majoring in psychology, said even though she’s from Columbus, she’s registered in Kentucky. She said she pays attention to campaign signs across the city, but doesn’t have any favorite candidates.
"May the best person win as long as they’re going to take care of us," she said.
Jackson said today was her first chance to try out the E-Slate voting machine.
"I think I like this new system," she said. "It’s pretty cool, it’s high tech."
Jackson said she doesn’t plan to vote in the May primary, but will vote in the November election.
Senior Angel Williams, an elementary education major, said she has voted in the past few elections and plans to vote May 22.
The 21-year-old Frankfort native said her mother stressed the importance of voting.
"My mom always told me you should vote; if you don’t vote you can’t say anything," Williams said.
Williams said she is impressed by the ease of the electronic voting machine.
"It was user-friendly, I like it," she said.
The E-Slate voting machine is used by 96 of Kentucky’s 120 counties, according to Les Fugate, director of communications for Secretary Grayson.
"It’s the new machine that is used in Franklin County, specifically," he said.
The machine is unique because it’s accessible to disabled voters, resembles a computer and has a wheel that voters spin to make selections.
The Frankfort/Lexington Chapter of The Links Inc. an international women’s civic organization, was on hand to assist with the election.
"We’re teaming with the voter registration effort here at Kentucky State," Ramona Griffin, The Links member, said.
She said aiding voter registration efforts showcases the organization’s national trends and services facets.
The Links member Lillian Graham said she tried to answer students’ questions and give them information outlining the registration process.
"Most of the students who come through are registered, but they’re trying out the machine for the first time," Graham said.
Griffin said she hopes students realize the importance of voting after participating in the mock election.
"That’s part of the political process. Voting is one thing you can do to have a voice at any level," Griffin said.
Shainna Ward, a freshman majoring in political science at KSU, volunteered at the mock election through her work-study with The Links.
Ward said students should take the voting process more seriously.
"I think it’s a big responsibility," she said. "I think it’s important (to vote) if you want to know what’s going on."
Ward, a Cincinnati native, said she pre-registered to vote when she was 17 and helped with a similar voter registration drive when she was a high school student.
Ward, now 18, said the May primary would be her first opportunity to vote.
She said during the mock election most students she talked to were concerned with who was running for certain offices and how students would be affected by the election.
Fugate, said the mock election is part of the secretary’s Civic Literacy Initiative in Kentucky and was developed as a way to restore civic engagement among young people.
"We figured this is one way to get them to think about and engaged in the voting process," Fugate said.
All of Kentucky’s public universities were invited to hold similar elections, Fugate said. In the future he said he hopes the endeavor expands to the state’s private institutions as well.
For this year, the purpose of the mock elections was to prepare students to vote before leaving campus for summer break.
"Our goal is to get them all before the registration deadline," Fugate said.
April 24 is the registration deadline for the May 22 primary.