Student Spotlight: The Guy Who’s Registered to Vote 127 Times
Sometimes it’s just too hard to say ‘no.’
As the 2024 presidential election rolls around, many organizations are encouraging Hawkeyes to become first-time voters. You may have been asked a number of times to register at T. Anne Cleary Walkway if you haven’t already.
For most students, this is already a done deal or a matter of brushing off the volunteers. For one Jake Johnson of Johnson County, IA, this has become a routine.
Johnson is a rather typical student as far as Iowa goes. He is a regular attendee of club soccer, a proud member of Sigma Gamma Lambda, and (ironically) a communications major. He has one big issue: Crippling social anxiety.
Johnson has recently made news for registering to vote every single time he has been stopped. The Doily Allergen recently sat down with him to discuss this.
DA: When did you first start registering to vote?
JJ: Um, probably within the first week of moving in, I think. There were people around Yotopia asking, and for whatever reason I looked them in the eye. I mean, after that you can’t just walk away, right?
DA: About how many times have you registered to vote now?
JJ: I think I’ve lost count. It’s kind of a daily occurrence now, sometimes more than once if I forget to avoid the walkway on the way to lunch. I keep meaning to avoid the path altogether, but it’s just too much a part of my routine now.
DA: Has no one recognized you yet?
JJ: I mean the students definitely have. I don’t think the volunteers notice. There’s a lot of six foot tall (NB: Johnson, and presumably the people he’s talking about, are 5’8”-5’10”) tall white guys with brown hair out here. Maybe I should start wearing something more recognizable.
DA: How much of a hassle is it to register?
JJ: Oh god, it’s pretty easy. I have it down to a science now (laughs). Maybe I should have been faking it, but the volunteers try their best to help you fill everything out, so…
DA: Have you ever considered what you’re doing may be illegal?
JJ: What.
Unfortunately, a few days after our interview the US government descended upon Iowa City to charge Johnson with voter fraud. Now charged with a third-degree felony, it looks like Johnson’s first attempt at voting may be his last. When reached out for comment, the various groups standing by T. Anne Cleary walkway just asked us if we were registered to vote.
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