The College of Health and Human Services held a voter registration event in the Academic Complex on Wednesday, March 30 to encourage students to register to vote. The event was part of the college’s diversity and inclusion week.

The deadline to register for the upcoming primary election is April 18.

Amy Cappiccie, an associate professor in the Department of Social Work, expressed why voting is so important for students.

“We feel like people having the right to vote is very important, so we want everybody registered,” Cappiccie said.

Cappiccie also shared her passion for ensuring felons have the right to vote. Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear signed an executive order in December of 2019 automatically restoring voting rights to many felons, but regaining the right isn’t an easy process for everyone.

According to the Kentucky Department of Corrections, “when individuals who are currently in custody or on supervision are considered for final discharge of sentence, the Department of Corrections will review them to see if they are eligible for automatic restoration.”

Cappiccie said that voting as a felon “doesn’t have anything to do with why you’re serving time.”

“A basic human right as a citizen of the United States is the ability to vote,” Cappiccie said. “We just like for people to be educated and know what their rights are.”

Paige Cato, a graduate research assistant, explained how voting allows students to advocate for different policies. 

“The policies directly influence the grants and funding that regulate the agencies [social workers] work at, so it’s very important,” Cato said.

News Reporter Kennedy Gayheart can be reached at [email protected].