Many University students cast their votes on Election Daydespite rainy weather, scheduled classes and distance to thepolls.
“There’s never any excuse for not voting, other than things youcan’t control,” said Zack Hebert, a secondary education senior.
Hebert drove home to Brusly on Tuesday morning, where he saidhis wait to vote was short.
Jessica Collins, a painting and drawing senior who is registeredto vote in Baton Rouge, said she planned to vote after her classesended. She said, especially in this year’s heated races, there wasno reason not to vote.
Some students who could not drive home to vote did so byabsentee mail-in ballots.
“I’m from New Orleans, so I absentee voted by mail,” said AshleyCarroll, an interior design sophomore.
“Whether it’s weather or anything like that, there shouldn’t beany excuses,” Carroll said. “There are lots of opportunities tovote.”
Sam Pruitt, an elementary education junior, also voted by mail.She said she felt it was a safe way to cast a ballot.
Tate Walker, a chemistry freshman, sent his friends a textmessage Tuesday morning reminding them to go to the polls.
“(Voting) is a privilege, so everybody should use it,” Walkersaid.
But some students did not vote for personal reasons, or becausethey did not understand the system.
“I didn’t vote because I’m not registered here,” said MarsheenaOliver, a biological sciences sophomore.
Oliver said she did not know how to cast her vote fromschool.
“I knew it wasn’t impossible but I didn’t know how to go aboutdoing it,” she said.
Jerry Picou, a microbiology senior, said he thought heregistered to vote through the University, but found out too latethat he had not.
Picou said he would have had a hard time choosing a candidate ifhe had the option.
“I think we have sucky candidates to choose from,” he said.”It’s going to be the lesser of two evils. I think I would have hadto close my eyes and pick.”
Still, Picou regrets not having the option.
“I really, really, really wanted to vote. It would have been myfirst time,” he said.
Lindsay Babin, an accounting freshman, said she would vote afterclass, but did not think turnout would be as high as expected.
“A lot of people registered, but nobody is going to vote,” Babinsaid.
She said her friends at other universities were given bonuspoints to register.
Others believed turnout would be high.
“Due to the circumstances of the past three years and the riseof terrorism, I believe it’s going to be a very big turnout,” saidCaleb Beraud, a psychology senior. “It should be a lot closer thanwhat people think.”