Bakersfield College kicked off its entry into the California University & College Ballot Bowl on Sept. 20, National Voter Registration Day, with a push to register as many students as possible to vote over the next few months. 

BC will be competing with colleges and universities across the state in two main categories – how many students an institution can register and the percentage of the student body registered. Ongoing since Aug. 15, the competition will continue through the months of September and October, eventually finishing on Nov. 8th – election day.

Speaking to The Rip, Harvind Grewal, the Director of Legislative Affairs for BCSGA, highlighted the goals of this year’s Ballot Bowl efforts, specifically citing his hopes to increase student involvement, especially after Covid. Grewal believes that this drive to register voters can give students the push to become more civically active in their communities and help people see past the polarization of politics and see the value in voting and participation, stating “young people seem to be more engaged, but don’t have a platform to really engage with.”

Any change in name, primary residence, or political party affiliation may require one to register to vote again. Students looking to register to vote can visit the Student Life Center on campus for more information. There, students can register using the special link for BC’s ballot bowl so that their registration will count towards BC’s score.