GCSU President to students: ‘Your vote matters’

By Mike Cavaliere

M ore than 50% of registered voters in Georgia had already cast their ballot before the end of October, shattering early voter records for the state.

As the former secretary of state of Georgia - who proposed the initial legislation that ushered both early voting and electronic voting into the state - Georgia College & State University (GCSU) President Cathy Cox describes feeling "heartened" by this fact, but she stressed that there is still more work to be done, specifically by young voters.

Georgia College President Cathy Cox spoke with Ethan Mollenauer of WGUR-FM 95.3, about youth engagement in the 2024 presidential election. (Photo: Austin Zschach)

"This is a really monumental election," she said, in an interview with WGUR-FM 95.3, the student-run radio station in Milledgeville, Georgia. "I've never seen such a difference of opinion between the candidates."

She cited policies regarding family planning, student loan forgiveness and diversity issues as some of the key topics dividing the candidates and piquing the interest of college-aged students.

"All elections are about the future," she said, urging young voters to consider the policies that would impact them personally and make their voting decisions accordingly. "Your vote matters, and there are issues that will affect you."

At Georgia College, young voters are especially engaged politically. In a recent study of the 2022 midterm elections, Bobcats were shown to have a 5% higher voting percentage than that of their peers at the national level. GCSU students have also been recognized nationally for superior voter registration levels.

That's a good start, Cox explained, because the more that young people make their voices heard, the more candidates will begin to tailor their platforms around the priorities of those younger voters.

"Be a critical thinker, dig for good information … and don't believe everything you read on the internet," Cox urged students. "And find time to vote!"

Tune in to Cox's full interview at the top of the hour, every hour, Monday, Nov. 4, on WGUR-FM 95.3 Milledgeville - or stream it online.

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