Gannon University will be hosting a voter literacy workshop at 7 p.m. Tuesday in Zurn 101 or online via a Zoom webinar.

A partnership between the Center for Social Concerns and Global Exploration, The School of Public Service and Global Affairs and ErieGAINS, the event will be a workshop in which “students will lead students in a workshop and open conversation around voting, registering to vote, and voter education,” according to a university email.

The email said to bring your laptop and cell phone for interactive purposes and said they are hoping for a workshop that will “encourage students to be confident both when they vote and in who they vote for.”

Putting together the event was a group effort said Josh Staley, a junior political science major and intern for the Center for Social Concerns.

Staley said that the goal of the event was two-fold from his perspective.

“The first is for students to get registered,” Staley said. “For a lot of college students, this may be the first time that they vote.”

Staley said that it is important for students who are registering to vote to feel confident and understand the process.

As for the other goal, Staley said that they want to make sure “students are confident in who they are going to vote for.”

“This event will be an open place where students can come to get informed and understand candidates and the issues of today,” Staley said.

While it may be difficult to get students to show up due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Staley said students will still come out of a desire to be informed about the election and the candidates.

Students who are already registered to vote said they hope turnout will be as high as expected.

Nathan Manion, a junior political science major who helped organize the event, is a registered voter and said he expects students will come.

“Students will show up and I believe it will reflect excitement to become registered voters,” Manion said.

Manion said he believes students understand what’s at stake in this election.

“I think it is important because your vote always matters,” Manion said. “In an election year as crazy as this one, it is even more important to be informed on how to vote and who to vote for.”

Emily Hall, a senior criminal justice, chemistry and public service & global affairs major, and who played a part in planning the event, said that she too is optimistic that students will come and enjoy the event.

Hall also said that there’s a good chance people will show up because of the contemporary political times.

“I think that there’s a better chance of people showing an interest now just because of how much is going on in the political world,” Hall said.

Hall further said this is an important time to pay attention.

“I think it’s especially important right now due to just how different the candidates are and what their visions for the future promise to be,” Hall said. “Our generation has a lot at stake in the coming election cycle.”

Students interested in attending should email [email protected].

MICHAEL GUIDO

[email protected]