At the University of Southern California Village polling center, volunteer poll worker Machaela Gagnon wants to make voting fun.
“I told a bunch of kids the other day that if they bring 10 people, that I’d go swimming in the pond [fountain] at 5 o’clock — we’ll see if they do it,” Gagnon said.
This year is Gagnon’s 14th year helping with the election process. She was first exposed to politics at 13, when she found herself making calls and arranging rides for people to get to the polls. Being involved with politics at a young age gave Gagnon strong opinions about civic engagement.
“I feel if you’re not willing to be a change and help, don’t complain,” Gagnon said.
USC junior and communications major Hannah Jensen emphasized Gagnon’s sentiment at the polls in the Village Tuesday.
“Make sure everyone gets out there and the more people we have voting, the better our voices will collectively be heard,” Jensen said. “I think everyone should do their own research and vote [for] what they believe in.”
Some students and community members voted at the polls, and others went to drop off their ballots around campus, but both acknowledged the importance of voting.
“The first thing I did this morning after making breakfast was coming over to vote,” USC sophomore and biomedical engineering major Charles Simon said. “I feel like it’s been a big topic on campus to try to get everyone out to vote, and so no matter who you’re voting for, I think it was important for me to get my voice in.”
In trying to keep young people coming, Gagnon said she noticed a trend while at the polls.
“I’ve seen a growth in younger people getting excited about it because they wanted to say that they had a fingerprint or a part in what was going on,” Gagnon said.
Simon confirmed his interest in participating and why he thinks it’s necessary.
“This is my second election,” Simon said. “I think I’ve wanted to vote because I think everyone is talking about how important it is to get your voice heard, and so I really wanted to make sure that I had my opinion counted with everyone else’s.”
Gagnon encourages young voters to take their future into their own hands.
“We old folks have screwed this thing up beyond belief,” Gagnon said. “It’s you guys who are going to fix it; you’re the ones that are voting, that are going to be changing things 10 years from now. We don’t want this to be a negative experience for you.”
Trojans like sophomore and business administration major Jessica Lemus found Gagnon’s efforts helpful.
“It was actually very quick. I was expecting it to be a little longer, especially because I’m technically registered outside of L.A. County, but they were super helpful with it,” Lemus said. “They were super quick to show me what to do and where to go, especially because it was my first time voting here in L.A. That was very nice.”
Simon advised students to do what they can, even if it doesn’t seem like much.
“It’s pretty easy to not submit a ballot, but I think even filling in one or two bubbles is better than submitting nothing at all, so I encourage everyone to go vote if they can,” Simon said.
Joshua Santhirasegari, a USC junior and quantitative biology major, shared his experience voting and why he did a mail-in ballot.
“I just wanted to make sure I read everything, done all my research and made sure I knew what I’m doing before I’m voting,” Santhirasegari said. “Doing a drop-off ballot made it a little more easier for me, and it also gave me a couple more days to really think about who I was voting for and what props I’m looking at.”
USC sophomore Cristobal Marquez, majoring in health promotion and disease prevention, expressed his gratitude for the systems that USC set up.
“This is kind of my first big election, so I’m just happy that USC really supported us in this,” Marquez said.
Gagnon shared advice that applies to any election, not just this one.
“Go out and see what it’s like,” Gagnon said. “See what people are talking about, experience it for yourself. Go talk to the individuals who are experiencing that. That’s the only way you’re going to hear the true story.”
Emma Hine, a USC sophomore who is majoring in AI for business, expressed her feelings about the election’s results.
“I have faith it will all go well,” Hine said. “We’ll see tonight how it goes. We’ll see throughout the week.”
Whether voting is done with a pen or a tap of an iPad, the experience can be universal for those eligible to vote. Poll workers like Gagnon try to make voting more fun and one that Trojans want to participate in. Sometimes, the process needs explaining or a helping hand. Sometimes, it takes a village.
With the polls at the USC Village now closed, maybe, just maybe, Trojans will find Gagnon swimming in the fountain.
Edited by Ally Nakamura and Bennet Weinschenk