As the 2016 election season continues to heat up, Stetson students have to make decisions about who they will be voting for in Florida’s Presidential Preference Primary, March 15.

Do Republican students support Cruz, Kasich, Rubio or Trump? Do Democratic students support Clinton or Sanders?

To raise students’ awareness about the upcoming election, Stetson Votes, a non-partisan group of students who lead the DeLand campus political engagement efforts, has organized a Presidential Straw Poll on Tuesday, March 8, for students to each cast a “mock vote” for their preferred presidential candidates.

“Studies have shown that people who vote in their very first election are 30 percent more likely to become habitual, life-long voters,” said Kevin Winchell, associate director for community engagement at Stetson University and the faculty advisor for Stetson Votes. “At Stetson, we know that one of the greatest barriers to voting is a lack of knowledge about how the process works. So we offer as many opportunities for students to ‘practice’ voting and develop these critical habits of citizenship that will last their entire lives.”

This Straw Poll, which is the third consecutive one administered during an election year at Stetson, will be open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at the Carlton Union Building in the center of campus. Students will need to present ID and will be given a ballot to complete. After they vote, students will be given information about voter registration, signing up to vote-by-mail and getting rides to the polls during early voting and election day.

In addition to increasing student voter registration and turnout, Stetson Votes also coordinates campus and community events, such as issue forums and candidate debates to ensure that students are informed about issues of public policy and the stances that candidates take on those issues. Further, Stetson Votes helps to connect students with opportunities to volunteer or intern with local, state and national candidates and organizations in order to build students’ professional experience with matters of government, public policy and campaign management. More information about Stetson Votes can be found at www2.stetson.edu/vote.

By Kevin Winchell