As the November elections are approaching, NC State has proposed that Talley Student Union be a one-stop voting site in Wake County. This proposal was debated by the Wake County Board of Elections, but the decision was split along party lines and will now be up to the State Board of Elections to decide.

Mike Mullen, vice chancellor and dean for the Division of Academic and Student Affairs, wrote to the Board of Elections making a case for why Talley Student Union would be a good voting site. He said that Talley would be an appropriate location because of the large population of individuals on campus as well as Talley being a voting site in past elections such as the 2012 election.

“Talley in the past has been a voting site for many years,” Mullen said. “Before the new Talley was built, the old Talley was a voting site. With over 43,000 students, faculty and staff, and being west-central to the county, we believe that Talley as a voting space makes a lot of sense. It gives a very large percentage of people who work for us, obviously, or who are students, an opportunity to easily vote, but it’s also very convenient from Western [Boulevard] and Hillsborough Street and so forth.”

Jess Errico, student body president and fifth-year studying mechanical and aerospace engineering, said that her administration is committed to civic engagement, especially by encouraging voting in a variety of ways in the upcoming election. A portion of that initiative is advocating for Talley to be a one-stop voting site.

“One of the ways we are supporting the bid for Talley Student Center to become an early voting location is that we have been supporting Brian Mathis, who has leadership roles in CSLEPS [now Leadership and Civic Engagement], in his bid through statements of support of the elected leaders who represent the voices of students on campus,” Errico said.

Errico said that these efforts have been by means of letters as well as attending meetings to speak and advocate on behalf on NC State students.

“We’ve been crafting letters, statements of support,” Errico said. “I also went as the student body president and primary representative of NC State students to the Board of Elections meeting to speak in the public comments section.”

Major concerns in the past over using Talley as a voting site were the lack of parking on campus and accessibility issues. Mullen said that by working closely with NCSU Transportation, they were able to address and solve those issues.

“What we’ve basically proposed is that … the facility would be available the entire time that early voting is available,” Mullen said. “That we would provide parking right next to Talley in the Jeter [Drive] lot which is right next to Reynolds, so we guaranteed a total of 36 spaces there with handicap-accessible spaces. Also, there will be drive-up voting in the circle right there by Talley in front of Reynolds.”

According to Mullen, if Talley is chosen by the State Board of Elections, it will be a matter of staging the area so that individuals are aware that they can vote at Talley. Efforts will be spent creating signage and gaining volunteers to help organize the polling center and make it more efficient.

Errico said that from a Student Government perspective, whichever way the State Board of Elections decides, they will organize initiatives to ensure that students are engaging and participating in the election.

“If we do land the voting site on campus, how are we going to ensure that our students are eligible to vote? So, pushing initiatives, especially among that critical first-time voter population of first-year students,” Errico said.

Errico also said that if Talley is not chosen, their next course of action will be to help students find transportation to polling sites.

“We will absolutely be exploring what kind of transportation can we help coordinate,” Errico said. “But also, how can we make sure that it is something that is prominent and important and on the front of people’s minds.”

According to Errico, the planning going into the potential voting site has been a collective effort with many organizations and services on campus including the transportation department and Leadership and Civic Engagement.

Errico said that Andrew McDonald, a fourth-year studying aerospace engineering and director of Government Relations, has been working closely with other campus groups to brainstorm and plan for initiatives such as “Pack the Polls,” while also working with Brian Mathis, associate director of Leadership and Civic Engagement, to advocate for NC State students at events such as the Wake County Board of Elections meeting.

“Andrew is heavily involved in coordinating and vocalizing how Student Government can contribute,” Errico said. “Together with Brian Mathis, myself and Andrew, we are ensuring that NC State is present in those meetings where lawmakers are deciding things and where our local government is making decisions so that they are fully aware of what NC State wants from a administrative point of view, but also that they are certain and have students there telling them that students want these things as well.”

The decision will be made in the upcoming weeks by the State Board of Elections. Technician will provide updates as the story develops.