Purdue University students are pushing back against Tippecanoe County's plan for limited voting access on campus. The county has announced only a 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. window on October 24th, leaving students without a full Election Day voting site.

Laila Veidemanis, a Purdue student and West Lafayette City Councilor, expressed her frustration.

"Students should be able to vote on Election Day on campus and not have to walk to City Hall or find transportation to vote," she said.

Tippecanoe County election officials opted against setting up a polling station on campus after reviewing data. They observed a considerable decline in voter registrations from residents on or near campus. In 2020, roughly 6,700 people in the campus area were registered to vote, but by 2024, the figure had fallen to around 3,100.

Veidemanis added that with packed class schedules, extracurriculars, and other commitments, having on-campus voting is essential for students. She recalled how easy voting was in past years, noting that in 2021 she walked from her dorm to cast her ballot.

"And that was not a presidential election year. I do remember it being super easy. As a freshman, I registered. I was given an email of places to vote, and I walked in and voted," she continued.

Mike Schmuhl, Indiana Democratic Party chair, is among those requesting the on-campus Election Day polling location and dissatisfied with the brief window on October 24th.

"At the end of the day, we also think that that's inadequate. Statistics show that particularly in presidential election years there's just higher turnout, more people want to vote - there's more organic knowledge about the election," he contended.


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Tomorrow is the deadline for Montana residents who qualify to apply for a property tax rebate.

The State Legislature passed the measure during its last session.

Jason Sleade, communications director with the Montana Department of Revenue, said people can qualify for as much as $675 in property tax rebates - if they lived in the state for at least seven months in 2023 and owned a residence for that long.

"Single family homes and apartments. Condominiums. Trailers, manufactured homes, mobile homes," said Sleade, "and that's also including up to one acre of surrounding land."

That amounts to about 215,000 Montana homes and 3,200 small businesses.

Critics have said the temporary rebate program isn't enough to offset the effects of a recent property tax increase, among the biggest in Montana's history.

Even though the deadline to file is not until October 1, the state has already issued more than $130 million in property tax rebates this year, which Sleade said boosts local economies.

"Last year, in 2023, we sent out a total of about $142 million," said Sleade. "That money's going right back into your local governments, and people are happy to get that money and do the things they want to do with that."

In addition to applying online, Sleade said Montana residents can also get help by visiting one of the revenue department's field offices around the state - which could be especially helpful for folks in rural areas.




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Polling shows that many young people of color in Generation Z are ambivalent about voting, but one group of activists is working to change that.

The Coalition for Justice and Equality Across Movements is sponsoring the Historically Black Colleges and Universities Liberation Tour at HBCUs across the South, to engage students in the political system.

The goal is to register Black college students to vote and have their voices heard.

Destiny Pearson is a program coordinator for the group, and with the National Minority AIDS Council. She said too many young people are disengaged from the political process.

"That's so concerning, because about 50% of Gen Z are people of color," said Pearson. "So we really want to make sure that we're engaging these young Black students, to understand the importance of this election, and to be more engaged in the political system."

The tour stops at Fisk College in Nashville on tomorrow to meet with students and help sign up those who still need to register to vote.

It has already visited Howard University and Clark Atlanta University - and plans future stops at Jackson State, North Carolina A&T, and Florida A&M.

A recent Gallup-Walton Family Foundation poll of voting-age Gen Z'ers in seven key swing states, found that more than half have very little faith in the government.

Harold Phillips is deputy director of programs for the National Minority AIDS Council, and said young people need to drive significant change through voting.

"They're going to inherit this world that many of us older folks have created and worked to build," said Phillips, "and so they do really need to feel empowered to use their voice to try to shape the future that is going to be theirs."

An NBC News poll shows that as of September 4, Democratic nominee Kamala Harris was leading Republican Donald Trump by a 50% to 32% margin among 18 to 29-year-olds in seven battleground states.

Support for this reporting was provided by the Carnegie Corporation of New York.


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With just under 40 days before the November election, Wisconsin is again mired in controversy over the use of ballot drop boxes and a civic engagement group hopes it does not dovetail into what it described as voter suppression tactics.

Voting access advocates saw a victory over the summer when the Wisconsin Supreme Court reversed a near-total ban on drop boxes for absentee ballots. But this past weekend, the mayor of Wausau, a vocal opponent of the option, held a public event where he removed a drop box.

Sam Liebert, Wisconsin state director for the group All Voting is Local, feels it is an extension of the persistent -- and false -- claims about the outcome of the 2020 presidential election.

"This is just another part of a larger puzzle of continued voter suppression and trying to have fewer people vote in the upcoming November election," Liebert contended.

The mayor has defended his actions, insisting he did nothing wrong. Opponents of drop boxes claim they could be tampered with and said prohibiting them could help ensure election integrity. But election policy analysts countered they are a proven and safe option.

All Voting is Local and other advocates have asked state authorities to look into the matter. The local district attorney is pursuing an investigation.

Even though the state's highest court made this voting tool legal again, local administrators still have the option to decide whether to place drop boxes around their communities. Liebert pointed out those in leadership positions and the public should know how beneficial drop boxes are in giving everyone a chance to vote.

"They help so many types of voters," Liebert emphasized. "Whether they're voters with disabilities, they're third-shift workers, they're single parents, all types of people benefit from having ballot drop boxes."

Earlier this month, a similar controversy arose over guidance from the Dodge County Sheriff's Office to local election clerks. With Wisconsin again viewed as a battleground state, Liebert added such examples serve as a reminder for all entities playing a role in carrying out elections to ensure a safe and accessible environment for voters.

Support for this reporting was provided by The Carnegie Corporation of New York.


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