On Tuesday, Nov. 2, several SouthernUniversity students were denied their right to vote in the F. G. Clark ActivityCenter. The primary reason isunknown, but there are several stipulations.
“I knew all along that something wasgoing to go down,” said Hope Coleman, a freshman nursing major from Memphis,Tenn. “If I have to take thatfive-hour drive to vote, I will because it’s important.”
According to Veronica Freeman, a SUhistory professor, particular Southern University professors and theorganization UNITY 04 began registering students to vote at the beginning ofthe semester. These names wereentered into a database and were then turned into the Registrar of Voters.
If a student registered with anotherorganization however, one of several things could have happened. Their names may have been placed in aseparate database, not turned in to the Registrar of Voters, or the cards werenot filled out correctly.
In addition, it is alleged by somestudents and professors that the Baker and downtown Baton Rouge Voter ofRegistrar offices discarded registration cards when they were informed that thecards were from Southern University.
In the last two presidentialelections, less than 100 persons voted on the SUBR campus. This year however, more than 900students voted and the workers could have simply been overwhelmed.
On the morning of the election,UNITY 04 members contacted Freeman stating that students were not being allowedto vote because their names were not on a master list.
In this instance, students weresupposed to be allowed to vote on a provisional ballot. Voters whose names are not on a rolland commissioners cannot determine one’s precinct must use the provisionalballot. The ballot consists of theUnited States President, United Sates Senate, and congressional races. Initially however, students were deniedthat right as well.
Justin Burgess registered to vote inthe Housing Department. “They needto check something internally because they tell people if you register in yourdorm that you can vote. Then comehere (to the polls) and they tell you no.”
After a review of the provisionalballot, it was soon realized that the provisional ballot consisted only of theUnited States Congress seat. Itwas then that Chancellor Jackson was called and shortly thereafter, arepresentative from the Clerk of Courts office came to rectify the problem.
Several students returned later tothe F. G. Clark Activity Center that afternoon and evening to vote on aprovisional ballot.
Dormitories made announcements ontheir public announcement systems for previously denied students to return tothe activity center to vote.
Despite the problems that occurredthat day, Freeman was and continued to be optimistic. “Thank you Southern University faculty, staff, andstudents,” she said. “By working together we elected the first black mayor ofBaton Rouge. We were able to makethis happen be electing and voting in large numbers. We made a difference.”
Because of this experience,Chancellor Jackson has agreed that in the future, students will register tovote when they register for classes during the academic school year.
