STARKVILLE — If Mike Leach had his way, everyone in the United States would vote Tuesday.
Speaking with the media Monday ahead of Election Day — a day in which the NCAA has mandated programs can’t hold practices or organized activities — Leach was queried on what it’s been like seeing the recent run of voter registration not only nationwide, but within his own program.
“I think everybody should vote and I’m disappointed in anybody who doesn’t,” he said. “I’m glad we got (the team) registered, and gave some, literally, an education process on how it’s done.”
On Sept. 16, the NCAA announced that the Division I council approved a measure that would prohibit practices, competitions and other “countable athletically related activities” on the first Tuesday after Nov. 1 every year, to ensure student athletes have the opportunity to partake in Election Day.
The legislation was brought to the council by the Division I Student-Athlete Advisory Committee as a way to increase opportunities for athletes to participate in civic engagement, including voting and community service.
“The Council unanimously supports this important piece of legislation,” Council chair and University of Pennsylvania Athletic Director M. Grace Calhoun said in a news release. “Coming from Division I SAAC, we know it represents the voice of student-athletes across the country who continue to express a desire to increase their civic engagement at local, state and federal levels. We look forward to seeing student-athletes use this opportunity as a way to create positive change.”
At Mississippi State, the integration of student athletes, civic engagement and the democratic process was taken a step further, particularly with the football team.
In mid-August, Leach’s squad took part in a voter education and registration night helmed by Director of Player Development Jay Perry. Perry, who practiced law for 20 years locally, and the university invited speakers from both the Democratic and Republican parties in addition to District 2 Election Commissioner Sissy Smitherman to shed light on how players and coaches could get involved.
Among those who spoke was Rep. Cheikh Taylor (D-Starkville). As a local politician and equally active MSU football fan, Taylor told The Dispatch Monday the night served as a chance to educate the team on how to get registered and to recognize the platforms they have as student athletes.
“I think that there may be a disconnect from, even my generation, as far as the type of sacrifice and struggles that have happened,” Taylor said. “And as time goes on sometimes you forget, or sometimes the sting of the pain is not as swift or as severe. My thought process was to kind of verbally illustrate why we are here preaching about voting and the idea is simply this: this is one of your most basic rights as an American. And having said that, there has been tremendous struggle, from all walks of life to make sure that we are exercising that right.”
For Perry, the education process within the football program has been ongoing. Since the event, players have asked him questions about registration and ensuring they’re prepared heading into Election Day. Perry also plans to send reminders throughout the day Tuesday to encourage the team to take part in the democratic process, though not as to sway them toward one candidate or another.
At its core, Perry and others’ push for student athletes to register to vote is that, he believes, Tuesday’s vote is about more than just the presidential election between President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden and, more specifically, regarding local measures included on the ballot.
For example, this year’s Mississippi ballot will include a vote to approve the new state flag, replacing the previous banner that boasted the Confederate battle emblem in the top left corner for which star running back and Columbus native Kylin Hill threatened to sit out the season should it not be changed and whether medical marijuana use will be adopted statewide.
“Here’s my firm belief: Number one, voting is absolutely both a right, a privilege, but also a solemn obligation and duty, frankly,” Perry said. “But here’s the other deal: it’s not just enough. Everybody can run around, and we can register athletes to vote, or young people in general, and that’s fine and that’s important. But to me, a big, big piece of it was the education piece.”
While players and coaches have been encouraged to vote Tuesday, Leach noted he’s not necessarily a proponent of the NCAA’s required day off given it occurs right in the middle of the season, one in which MSU is in the midst of a four-game losing streak.
“I mean, I want everybody to vote, but I’m not a huge fan of adjusting everybody’s schedule and having National Election Day,” he said. “Everybody should vote. Virtually everybody should vote, but I don’t think they should cancel practice that day as a result.”
In Mississippi, polling places are set to open at 7 a.m. and close at 7 p.m. Voters will be allowed to cast their votes after the deadline if they are in line at their respective polling place ahead of the 7 p.m. deadline.
Ben Portnoy reports on Mississippi State sports for The Dispatch. Follow him on Twitter at @bportnoy15.
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