Mobilizing the Youth Vote: One Student’s Mission for Change

As a first-generation college student, Sarrah Denton believes the most powerful thing you can do to enact change in this country is to cast your ballot on election day. The junior political science major said, “I come from a family that is not involved politically and hearing them complain about the issues but choose not to involve themselves in the number one way they can actually generate change, is motivation enough for me to vote in any and all elections.”

Denton got bit by the political bug her freshman year in the Social Justice Advocacy course taught by Julie Schifeling. The course is designed to teach students how to advocate. By the end of the semester, students create legislation for a social justice issue they’re passionate about and present it to a staff member from Congressman Darin LaHood’s office to advocate for their bill.

That experience inspired Denton to become a voter registration campaign intern for Bradley's Women’s and Gender Studies (WGS) Department. “In this role, I make sure there is an initiative to help Bradley students enact their civil right to vote and encourage them to participate in upcoming elections,” she explained “I believe that no matter your political ideology, it is important to make sure your voice is heard by the public servants who represent you.”

Denton is going to serve as an election judge on Nov. 5, working with the Peoria Election Commission to further her knowledge. “The commission does an amazing job placing college-aged students with seasoned professionals who can help in all situations that may come up on a stressful election day,” she said. “We were lucky to be mentored by a couple who led our electoral precinct—a Democrat husband and a Republican wife, which is a great example of bipartisanship!”

In addition to working on election day, Denton is excited to vote for the first time in a presidential election. “It can be hard to feel like your voice will be heard from a single vote, but regardless of what anyone says, your vote matters,” she explained. “This is why I advocate for all people to vote, especially people of my generation. We are a large voting block and we can create the change we want to see in the world. We just need to be able to mobilize effectively and efficiently.”

For voter registration information, click here.

—Emily Potts