Student Stories
STUDENT VOLUNTEER PROFILE: Patrick Manh Le
Patrick Manh Le of UC Irvine registered 16 new voters in one hour. UCSA was impressed and wanted to hear about his experience. We asked Patrick to share his story with us and asked him a few questions: 1) When was the first time you realized registering students to vote is important? 2) When was the first time you registered someone to vote? 3) What was the experience like? 4) What are some good tricks to use to register people to vote? This is what Patrick had to say:
"For my case, it really started in the 2008 presidential elections. For a lot of students, myself included, the possibility to have either an African-American president or a Womyn vice president seemed quite the big deal. And a lot of us wanted to be part of that historic, grand American moment. When Election Day came, I walked my friends to the voting stations in our dorms, and watched them vote as I bitterly stood aside.
I’m not joking about the bitter part. I actually took a voter reg card, filled it out and framed it. It’s hanging proudly on my wall waiting for the day I get my citizenship. Because once I do, the first thing I’m gonna do is register to vote.
Anyhow, when the race to the White House finished, I remember hearing on the radio the major impact students had on the election. And it just clicked. At that moment, I realized that civic duty wasn’t just about voting, it was also about encouraging people to be part of the political process. If you get people engaged and politically active, then you’re making that big difference.
As I started doing more voter reg work, I realized that student power, if channeled correctly, can be an overwhelming political force. It was like a mighty Sumo wrestler: Every voter reg card you turn in helps feed the student movement in something really powerful and awesome.
I was on Ring Road when I first took a voter-reg clipboard. I approached a young lady and asked if she wanted to register to vote. After giving me the death glare, she muttered, “Why do they all have to be so (you fill in the blank) annoying,” before walking away.
I was defeated on the first attempt and was ready to go home and cry in a corner somewhere. Then Christine Byon, in her ever cheerful voice, told me to not give up and try again.
So I picked up that clipboard, and went at it for a second serving. That day, I registered 16 cards in one hour.
What are some good tricks to voter reg? Support each other is No. 1. People can be difficult sometimes, and when they rudely brush you off, it makes you want to put those cards down. Cheer each other up when that happens!
I worked with a team in the past that would clap and cheer loudly for every card turned in. It drew so much attention that people came to the booth just to see what was going on. And we got those curious people registered, too.
So keep the energy going, and push your teammates to do the best they can.
There were times when I would just stand awkwardly in the middle of Ring Road, just because I was a bit shy with strangers. That was until I had Jesse Chang scream after me to get a group that was coming my way.
I’ve learned most of my voter-reg tricks from the volunteers I had the privilege to work with."
Gilbert Soria Mendoza
"Voting is important to me because our elected officials make decisions on issues that affects us. An issue important to me is higher education and it is important to elect the most qualified and who will serve to the benefits of all students. Public higher education needs to be accessible, as I have younger siblings aspiring to attend a UC, but fee high can impede them."
Thanks,
Gilberto Soria Mendoza
UCLA Undergraduate Student | Class of 2012
Political Science Major
Public Affairs Minor
Labor and Workplace Studies Minor
UCLA External Vice President's Office | Legislative Liaison, 2010-2011
UCLA Academic Senate | Council on Research, 2010-2011
UCSA | Board of Directors, 2010-2011
UCSA | Legislative Committee Chair, 2010-2011
Email: gsoria@ucla.edu | Phone: 650.799.4674