Oregon’s college students have registered to vote in record numbers this year.

Close to 51,000 college students registered, a new record for Oregon.

“I’m super excited for the record-breaking Vote or Vote drive, since it shows lawmakers and politicians that
students are interested in legislature and the laws that are made,” Portland State student body President Tiffany Dollar said.

According to Oregon Student Association Communications Director Dylan Jambrek, OSA had volunteers spread over 21 different campuses around the state. These volunteers spoke at more than 6,000 classes and knocked on more than 2,000 doors, just like what student government leaders did at PSU.

For the 2012 school year, the Associated Students of Portland State University partnered with the Student Vote Coalition for the registration drive and aimed to get 6,000 students registered between the spring primaries and the Oct. 16 voter registration deadline.

ASPSU announced that, for this year, a total of 7,018 students had registered to vote, meeting the organization’s goal.

In just a two-day period in January, 985 students registered but “were not counted originally as part of the 6,000 student goal [since it was before spring primaries],” Dollar said. “However, that number was added at the end of the fall registry, which brought our total to 6,000.” During spring term, 1,609 students were registered, and summer term numbers added up to 720 students.

With the help of the OSA and the Oregon State Public Interest Research Group, which make up the SVC, 3,704 students registered at PSU between Viking Days and Oct. 16.

ASPSU just fell short of reaching their fall goal of getting 4,000 students registered.

“We met the overall goal, and that makes me happy and excited, as are the rest of the legislature,” Dollar said.

Having 50,000 students registered to vote statewide is a big deal and means that, now more than ever, students want to vote, Dollar said. Students are of huge interest to candidates, as their votes can really make the difference in elections. In the 2008 presidential election, OSA managed to get 25,000 students registered. The 2010 election saw the registration of 35,000 student voters.

Currently, ASPSU is passing out nonpartisan voter’s guides to help students better understand what they are voting for and to explain candidates’ positions on issues. Students can pick one up at the ASPSU office in Smith Memorial Student Union, room 117, or look for them around campus.

Of course, students actually must turn in their ballots in order for their votes to qualify, so ASPSU is also planning on reminding everyone to turn in the ballots by Election Day.