Closing WCU polling site is a mistake
To the Editor:
I’m disappointed with the Jackson County Board of Elections’ decision to eliminate the convenient and accessible WCU University Center polling location for the primaries next spring. WCU provides the site and parking for free; the county pays the poll workers. The volunteers there have always created a welcoming environment and encouraged young people who are voting for the first time.
This location fosters civic responsibility among young people. Research shows that when young people vote early in their lives, they are far more likely to become informed, lifelong voters. Empowering young people to vote strengthens our communities and our future. Eliminating this polling location undermines that goal, making voting more difficult for students, 60% of whom lack transportation. This change decreases turnout today and in the future, since voting is a habit learned young.
The UC is a centralized, high-performing early voting location for the more than 11,000 students living on or near campus. WCU Political Science Professor Chris Cooper reports that this location has served more than 76,000 voters across five general elections and four primaries — an average of 8,417 early voters per election. These young, diverse voters are often casting ballots for the first time. In 2024, the WCU location served the second-youngest group of voters of any site in North Carolina. This site should be a model for other college campuses — not a location we eliminate!
I hope the board of electons will keep this location for next November’s election and not inconvenience the university community.
Nilofer Couture
Cullowhee
