10/25/23
Today marked another day of my internship at NYPIRG, and it was a day filled with engaging in meaningful community outreach efforts. The routine was quite familiar come to the office, get the briefing, but this time, our mission was to encourage students to register to vote.
The morning briefing led by our Project Coordinator outlined our task for the day: clipboard at the lobby of the Namm building, where students frequently pass in and out. With the voter registration deadline rapidly approaching (Saturday), it was essential to make a strong push. My fellow intern, the Project Coordinator, and I geared up for the challenge.
The reality of the task at hand became evident quickly. Engaging students and motivating them to register was tougher than we had anticipated. Many students seemed indifferent or had various reasons for not registering. Out of every 15 individuals we approached, only 2 or 3 were willing to sign up. The reasons for declining ranged from apathy toward government policies, being under 18, lack of time due to classes, and even citizenship status (some were not US citizens and therefore ineligible to vote).
We had set a lofty goal of achieving 750 total registrations, and at that moment, we were still short of around 30 registrations. As the crowd in the lobby started to thin out, we decided to take our efforts to the library, where students were less likely to escape our appeals. The library proved to be a more successful venue for our mission. We tirelessly canvassed every corner of the library, receiving a response from every individual we encountered. Our tally gradually climbed, reaching around 745 registrations.
With determination, we moved from the library to the hallway lounge areas on each floor. We went from the library’s 4th floor to the 5th, and then down to the 3rd to secure those few more registrations we needed. After some time, we achieved our milestone goal, even surpassing 750. As we waited for the elevator to return to our office floor, we didn’t miss the opportunity to approach students waiting for the elevator, persuading them to register to vote. With no escape route, they reluctantly agreed.
The day concluded with a sense of accomplishment. Our relentless pursuit of registrations had paid off, and we had not only met but exceeded our goal. It was a day filled with challenges and rejections, but the determination and perseverance of our team made it a success. This experience was a reminder of the dedication required in community outreach, and it reinforced the importance of voter engagement and the significant role we play in shaping the democratic process.
(Photo by Ernie Journeys on Unsplash)
