By Alyssa Schnugg
News editor
alyssa.schnugg@hottytoddy.com
Getting students at the University of Mississippi registered to vote is the easy part, according to Jarrius Adams, who recently lead a voter registration drive on campus.
“The important part is getting them to the polls on election day,” he told the Lafayette County Board of Supervisors Monday during the regular meeting.
Adams said students are often excited about voting but can find it hard to get to a precinct to vote.
“Some are reluctant because they don’t want to drive off campus and lose their parking space,” he said. “Some don’t have transportation.”
Adams would like to see a voting precinct on campus, that would allow the students who live on campus easy access to a place to vote.
However, Supervisor Jeff Busby said while he was all for the idea, he doubted the university would allow it.
Earlier this year, the county had to move Precinct 4 that was located in the Jackson Avenue Center, which is owned by the university, after university officials informed the county they didn’t want to be affiliated with the political aspects of voting precincts in their building.
“I’m not sure all the ins and outs of that,” Busby said. “We are very gracious they allowed us to use the JAC for about 10 years. But I’m curious who on campus agreed to open another location when they made us move that one just this year?”
The new District 4 precinct is located at the Lafayette County Civic Center, formerly known as the Men’s Civic Center off Highway 6 at 14 Tommie Collie Jane Road.
Adams said he’s spoken with several university officials who seemed to be in support of a precinct on campus and three possible locations were proposed – The Inn at Ole Miss, the Gertrude Ford Center and the Tad Smith Coliseum
Busby also pointed out that students living off campus could not vote on campus if a precinct was established and there could not legally be a multi-district precinct.
“But we will keep the dialogue open and I’d be happy to reach out to the university,” Busby said.
