AUSTIN, Texas — Some students at St. Edward's University are hoping the administration has a change of heart and allows the campus to be an early voting location, but time is running out.
Students are gone for the holidays at St. Edward's University. However, one junior is still working to make the campus an early voting location after dealing with long lines on Election Day in 2022.
"Many students and admin professors were saying that there was over a three-hour wait, and some of them didn't even stay in line, so they didn't even get to vote," said St. Edward's junior and Texas Rising leader Cindy Cuellar.
Since the summer, Cuellar and her team have been talking to Travis County commissioners and school administrators, advocating for the university to be both an Election Day polling location and an early voting location for the March primary.
The county clerk said St. Edward's fits the criteria for a polling location. They also said in a statement they had discussions with St. Edward's in the past about using the campus as an early voting and Election Day site, but the university said it's unable to accommodate the early voting period.
"They're like, 'We will have to rearrange classes and, like, practices, like sports practices, for over two weeks, and that is not within the capacity,'" said Cuellar.
Cuellar said the administration said finding adequate security is also a concern.
The university will utilize its gym as a polling station on Nov. 7 for Election Day.
"We are seeing, especially in Texas, that kids 18 to 24 are turning out in record numbers and really deciding these elections," said Emily Witt, Texas Freedom Network.
Texas Freedom Network, a non-partisan organization, has been helping the students.
"That voting population is becoming more diverse and less and less white," said Witt. "That also goes back to why this is such an important polling location. This is a Hispanic-serving institute."
St. Edward's administrators offered to shuttle students to early voting locations, but Witt and Cuellar said between classes, sports and work, students don't have the time.
At a meeting earlier this month, Travis County commissioners encouraged the students to keep fighting.
"I want to encourage you, don't be discouraged," said Commissioner Jeff Travillion.
Cuellar said she will keep pushing.
"If not for the March primaries, we're going to still be pushing for maybe the May elections," said Cuellar.
Travis County commissioners are set to talk about designating early voting locations for the primary during their regular meeting on Tuesday. Polling locations for the March 2024 primary need to be determined by mid-December of this year.
KVUE reached out to St. Edwards University but have yet to hear back.