Q&A
Discussion on obstacles to voter registration and turnout
0:49:21
·
65 sec
Council Member Gale Brewer inquires about the obstacles to voter registration and turnout despite CUNY's good statistics. The discussion focuses on identifying barriers and potential solutions to increase civic engagement among students.
- Brewer suggests that funding or legislation mandating more civics education in courses might be needed.
- She also mentions that the quality of elected officials could be a factor in low engagement.
- The conversation highlights the need to connect students' interests with relevant policies to increase participation.
Gale Brewer
0:49:21
First of all, I think it's good that you're doing all of this, but there's still a lot of obstacles to getting people to vote.
0:49:29
And so I guess from the amazing woman from Kingsborough, your parents should be very proud.
0:49:34
You're doing amazing job, very thinking outside the box.
0:49:39
But how there has to be more because despite your good statistics there could be better.
0:49:44
So the question is, is it funding?
0:49:46
Is it maybe we need that have some kind of legislation that says civics has to be more incorporated into the courses.
0:49:55
I don't know.
0:49:56
What other what are some of the barriers now?
0:50:00
Some of it is not great elected officials.
0:50:03
Maybe that's part of it.
0:50:04
I'm just saying.
0:50:05
So you need it it's a combination of figuring out what's of interest to students and then trying to hook them up to policies that are of interest to them.
0:50:16
But so how do you what are some of the obstacles that you'd like to have?
0:50:20
Overcome
Erik Bottcher
0:50:21
in order to get more people, both to register and to vote.
0:50:23
There's one thing to register, another thing to vote.