Marquette students have found themselves at the center of the 2024 presidential election as crucial voters in the swing state of Wisconsin.
These students exercised their right to vote Tuesday at the Alumni Memorial Union and other adjacent polling sites for the 2024 presidential election.
In addition to the AMU polling location, residents in campus housing and nearby neighborhoods were able to vote at the Central Library, the Wisconsin Conservatory of Lifelong Learning, the Milwaukee Academy of Chinese Language and the Highland Gardens.
The Office of Inclusion and Belonging also handed out goodie bags filled with snacks in the library throughout election day as a way to help comfort students during what can be a stressful day.
For a number of Marquette students, this is their first time voting in a presidential election, and for others, their first election ever.
“This is really exciting, because I am a political science and philosophy major, and a lot of what we talk about is the politics of what it means to be a citizen of the United States,” Bella DeRosa, a junior in the College of Arts & Sciences, said. “Voting is such a huge part of that, so it’s very exciting to have the opportunity to vote in a presidential election.”
DeRosa said she has noticed an increase in the number of rallies held in Wisconsin and the amount of voter information present on campus and throughout Milwaukee.
“There’s so much voter information here in Wisconsin just because there’s such a huge impact that students and other citizens here can have since we’re in a swing state that will help a candidate be more likely to win,” DeRosa said.
Andrew Dobek, a sophomore in the College of Health Sciences and a first-time voter for the presidency, views this election as one of the more pivotal elections in recent years.
“Ever since I was young, I’ve always wanted to [vote] and now my time has come to voice my opinion in this crucial election,” Dobek said. “I am very confident my vote will have an impact because Wisconsin is a highly contested state that will help decide the outcome of the election.”
As a student from the suburbs of Chicago, Dobek had to register to vote in Wisconsin. He said the process was easy to navigate due to Wisconsin offering same-day voter registration.
“When I showed up, I just handed them the form, the fee statement and then my voter ID card, and within a few minutes I was voting,” Dobek said.
After getting her vote in, DeRosa also helped work with voting polls at Marquette Votes by making sure people had the documents they needed and directing them to the correct lines in the AMU. DeRosa got involved because she is a political science student and had previously worked for a senator.
“This is my second time working with Marquette Votes. I worked with them in the midterm election two years ago as a freshman, so it’s exciting to come back as a junior and see the progress that’s been made within the organization, and how it’s working with the presidential election,” DeRosa said.
DeRosa said she was excited to help with voting because it seemed like people were getting more interested in voting.
“I’m seeing lines that are so long and seeing people who know what they need to know before going to the polls,” DeRosa said. “It seems like we’re having a lot more educated voters.”
Students will soon find out how their vote will change the nation.
“I think our vote means a lot either way, but it means a lot more during the presidential election because there’s more things on the table,” DeRosa said.
Students who are struggling or in need of support during the election are encouraged to visit the Counseling Center.
This story was written by Gabriel Mannion. He can be reached at [email protected].
