On November 5, 2024, students around the country exercised their right to vote and went to the polls to take part in the 2024 Presidential and local elections. In La Crosse, 13 polling stations opened at 7:00 a.m. In total, 72,730 ballots were cast.
Viterbo students were encouraged to vote, and the university website shared information on student voting checklists and ways to register to vote in all states. The Student Life Division writes, “Viterbo University encourages all students to register to vote and to actively participate in the political process by voting in all local, state, and federal elections. To assist you in registering to vote, the university provides this information which applies only to Viterbo University students who are citizens of the United States.”
Many faculty members spent the day escorting students to the polls, creating a meeting spot at the clock tower in the middle of campus at the top of every hour. Students and faculty walked to the polling stations at the La Crosse Recovery Center, UW- La Crosse Student Union, and the South Side Neighborhood Center.
Benjamin Gonzales, an assistant professor of theatre and music theatre at Viterbo University, did not hold class on election day so students would have the opportunity to vote if they hadn’t yet. He independently offered transportation for all his students. “I did it and said I would do it at the beginning of the year,” says Gonzales. “I am a firm believer in getting students to express their vote and voice into the public forum, especially because we are an educated population. It was encouraging to hear that all but a few students had a voting plan or had already voted, and it was by far the most engaged group of students I have ever had.”
Many out-of-state students registered to vote in Wisconsin for the presidential and local election. Viterbo University third-year Isaac Knudsen says, “It’s part of our job to vote in swing states. I think I switched [my vote] to Wisconsin because I wanted to make an impact in a state I am going to be in for the next few years.” More now than ever, college students are voting in the state they reside in for post-secondary education.
The election results surfaced quickly the next morning, appointing Republican Donald Trump as the next president, Tammy Baldwin as La Crosse’s pick for Wisconsin U.S Senate, and Derrick Van Orden as U.S. House District Three.
More information on voting results can be found through local news sources or official election websites such as the La Crosse County Clerk’s office.
