The Student-Athlete Advisory Committee at the University of Toledo is promoting the goal of 100 percent voter registration of Rocket student-athletes.
Rocket Student-Athletes Push for Voter Registration
9/23/2020 2:55:00 PM | Athletics
TOLEDO, Ohio – The Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) at the University of Toledo is promoting a voter registration drive with the goal of achieving 100 percent voter registration for Rocket student-athletes who are eligible to vote in the upcoming election on Nov. 3.
SAAC president Emma Sampson (women's swimming & diving) said that the committee is providing information for students from Ohio and other states on how to register, as well as how to vote by absentee ballot. The deadline to register in the state of Ohio is Oct. 5. SAAC is also urging UToledo student-athletes and the general student population to use vote.org to find more information about voting and registering to vote.Â
Sampson also praised the NCAA Division I Council for its recent legislation prohibiting any athletic activities on the first Tuesday of November. The Division I SAAC proposed the legislation in order to provide student-athletes an opportunity to vote or participate in civic or community activities. It marked the first legislative proposal Division I SAAC has proposed since Division I governance was restructured in 2014 to give student-athletes a vote at every level of decision-making.
"I am really proud of Division I SAAC for leading this initiative and being so persistent in this legislation," said Sampson. "It has really set the tone for the Mid-American Conference and for us here at the University of Toledo. For a long time we have heard about the importance and power of the young voter, but actions had not been taken in the student-athlete community to allow for that engagement before now. With the added education on voter registration from SAAC, coaches, and the athletic department, I am hoping that many student-athletes will join me in expressing their right to vote."
Many Rocket teams have achieved 100 percent voter registration for student-athletes who are eligible to vote, while others are very close to reaching that goal. Toledo has nearly 400 student-athletes among its 16 varsity sports.
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SAAC president Emma Sampson (women's swimming & diving) said that the committee is providing information for students from Ohio and other states on how to register, as well as how to vote by absentee ballot. The deadline to register in the state of Ohio is Oct. 5. SAAC is also urging UToledo student-athletes and the general student population to use vote.org to find more information about voting and registering to vote.Â
Sampson also praised the NCAA Division I Council for its recent legislation prohibiting any athletic activities on the first Tuesday of November. The Division I SAAC proposed the legislation in order to provide student-athletes an opportunity to vote or participate in civic or community activities. It marked the first legislative proposal Division I SAAC has proposed since Division I governance was restructured in 2014 to give student-athletes a vote at every level of decision-making.
"I am really proud of Division I SAAC for leading this initiative and being so persistent in this legislation," said Sampson. "It has really set the tone for the Mid-American Conference and for us here at the University of Toledo. For a long time we have heard about the importance and power of the young voter, but actions had not been taken in the student-athlete community to allow for that engagement before now. With the added education on voter registration from SAAC, coaches, and the athletic department, I am hoping that many student-athletes will join me in expressing their right to vote."
Many Rocket teams have achieved 100 percent voter registration for student-athletes who are eligible to vote, while others are very close to reaching that goal. Toledo has nearly 400 student-athletes among its 16 varsity sports.
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