The Student Government Association (SGA) at Southeastern is holding a voter registration drive in the Student Union Mall on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from about 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. during the month of February.

“We have the students registering mainly just to send a message to the legislature of Louisiana that college students do care about what’s going on,” said Associate Chief Justice of the Student Supreme Court Will Takewell. “We’re trying to make them realize that we do care about the budget cuts, we do have a voice and we can vote.”

SGA is hosting the voter registration drive in connection with an activity that is taking place next month, in which students will write letters to the congressmen and women.

SGA is attempting to communicate the idea that the legislature’s decisions are more influenced by the students than the students may believe.

“Many times the problem is you feel like your vote doesn’t count, but when you vote with hundreds of people that have the same voice as you do, and this refers to higher education and budget cuts, you can really say something to the legislature,” said Takewell.

By providing this opportunity on campus, a location where students are often present, SGA hopes to take some of the aggravation out of the process.

“Not a lot of people know that if you want to change your address to vote, you have to go to a DMV and go through that process, and that’s inconvenient,” said Student Supreme Court Justice Kristin Robair.

Another purpose of the voter registration drive is to catch the attention of those who have moved into another district.

“It’s not that easy for college students, ages 18 to 24, to actually get this kind of information,” said Robair. “Some of them relocate and forget to change their districts. It’s important for them to do that, because often times people forget to vote or tend not to vote because where they’re registered at is far away.”

Robair mentioned why it is especially important to vote this year.

“Louisiana is losing a congressional seat, they are redistricting,” said Robair. “So it’s important for us to vote for who we want in office now, and as far as the Presidential election goes, it’s important for us to actually pick a leader who we think is going to be beneficial to the uprising of America.”

Takewell mentioned that SGA hopes this voter registration drive will become a tradition that makes students aware that they do have the right to vote and encourages them to utilize this right.

“Hopefully we’ll do it again, particularly when it comes close to election time which is usually in November,” said Takewell.

Currently about 100 students have registered to vote. Anyone can sign up, and there is no charge.

According to the Web site www.sos.louisiana.gov, “Registering to vote is a right afforded to you as a United States citizen by the Constitution of the United States.”