Students sporadically made their way to the HUB-Robeson Center to cast their votes for the local elections yesterday.
Electronic voting machines were set up along the windows in Heritage Hall, but no more than two were in use at the same time.
The Penn State College Democrats actively supported the election for the past month, said College Democrats member Bethany Adams. Adams and other members handed out information about local Democratic candidates outside the HUB polls.
Nicole Ritschel (freshman-elementary education), a first-time voter, is also a member of the College Democrats and said voting in local elections can benefit students.
"It's important to vote in local elections because [elected officials] take what we have to say and send it to higher governments," Ritschel said.
Ritschel said the most important issue was the absence of a paper trail at local voting precincts. Because of this, she said, there is no way to physically keep track of the votes, which are recorded solely in electronic voting booths.
Bob Dunkle, an election clerk at the State College Municipal Building, 234 S. Allen St., said he had only seen two students voting in that precinct -- which has 878 registered voters.
Dunkle said the student turnout for last year's state elections was much higher, but this year's low turnout isn't "outside of the norm for an off-year election."
Yesterday, students could vote for candidates seeking office as Borough Council members, county commissioners, judges and other local positions.
"[Students] just don't have the same interest in local county and school board posts," Dunkle said.
Sean Madrid (freshman-finance) said it's necessary to vote in local elections because they affect voters more directly than elections on a national level.
Madrid, a registered Republican, said he didn't base his votes on any particular issues, but instead voted based on party affiliation. Madrid wasn't just at Heritage Hall to cast his vote, however -- he was also passing out campaign materials for his father.
Madrid's father, Ron Madrid, ran for a seat on the State College Borough Council. He said his father was another reason he voted.
Ethan Jordan (senior-math) said it's important to vote, but didn't realize yesterday was Election Day.
"I wish someone would have told me," Jordan said.
The Penn State College Libertarians didn't invest a great deal of time into the elections because none of the candidates were part of the Libertarian Party, club President Alex Weller said.
Represent Penn State, a nonpartisan club, was at the HUB yesterday to answer student voter questions about poll locations and the candidates running, President Trey Thomas said.
"We don't care who people vote for, we just want them to get out [and vote]," Thomas said.
Penn State College Republicans played a limited role in yesterday's election, Chairman Brandon Means said.
