Bill Davidson, next semester’s student executive vice president for public affairs, wants to see more students at the polls.

Though 1,843 Eastern students voted in last week’s Student Government elections, Davidson wants September to be devoted to voter registration.

The Student Government usually spends two weeks working on voter turn-out later in the semester.

“I think we can greatly increase the number of registered student voters to hopefully 5,000,” Davidson said.

The establishment of a voter registration subcommittee at the beginning of next school year will permit members of Student Government and Recognized Student Organizations to increase voter awareness through various publicity ventures.

“We will actually go door to door to all the on-campus and off-campus students” to get them to vote, Davidson said.

Promoting a positive image of Eastern to the area community is another goal for the fall semester, Davidson said.

Davidson suggested beginning regular contact with representatives from the Charleston Times-Courier and the addition of a bi-weekly news page in the newspaper to promote the university.

The news page would outline positive events and aspects of Eastern.

“I’ll be getting into contact with the Times-Courier editor who deals with Eastern relations this summer,” Davidson said.

A monthly newsletter insert could be more practical than asking the Times-Courier to print a whole page on Eastern, said Student Senate member Kyle Donash, chair of the senate External Relations Committee.

“Newspapers don’t sell by promoting the good things people do,” Donash said. “If we pay for an insert, at least we’ll know that the word’s gonna get out there.”

Davidson said he believes the Student Government could procure proper funding from the Apportionment Board for this project.

“In my opinion, this would be a worthy allocation,” Davidson said.

He plans to continue efforts in getting a curbside recycling program to give off-campus residents pick-up service for their recyclable garbage.

Students living off-campus currently do not receive garbage pick-up for recycled material.

Davidson has been working on the project for about a year.

Student Senate member Ryan Herdes, chair of the senate University Development and Recycling Committee, said the senate’s actions on recycling depend on the board.

“First thing we’re gonna have to do when we get back from (summer) break is talk to the County Board committee who has been presenting their ideas to us,” Herdes said.

Davidson said he is prepared to set up a lobbying campaign for the recycling service next semester to encourage members of the community to sign petitions and contact their county representatives.

“If we have to, we are willing to do whatever it takes,” Herdes said.