Liberty University plans to flex political muscle in elections

With as many as 3,200 Liberty University students eligible to vote locally, including more than 1,700 who completed applications before this week’s registration deadline, Chancellor Jerry Falwell Jr. said Friday that the college will cancel classes on Election Day to encourage students to head to the polls.

Lynchburg Registrar Pat Bower said that confirmed registrations by Liberty’s on-campus students have increased by about 800 since last year. The registrar’s office cannot keep track of off-campus applicants, Bower said.

Citywide, Lynchburg had 47,510 registered voters as of Thursday, Bower said. That was an increase of about 300 from last year’s presidential election.

Liberty’s first concerted voter registration drive took place last fall, when about 4,000 students registered to vote in the presidential election. Though Falwell hopes for a strong showing in November, he said the school is more invested in City Council elections next spring.

“A strong turnout will cause City Council and others to focus more on issues that affect Liberty,” he said.

Under current zoning law, the development plans of LU and other Lynchburg colleges are subject to approval from City Council.

“Liberty has no interest in running the city of Lynchburg, but we’d like to have a little more freedom to grow and expand without approval and without restriction,” Falwell said.

In May, City Council’s three at-large seats will be up for election — those currently held by Mayor Joan Foster, Vice Mayor Bert Dodson and Councilman Scott Garrett. Because these are at-large elections, voters in all wards will be able to vote on all three seats.

The election will be held on May 4, according to the Virginia Board of Elections Web site.

In many cases, Liberty students are more affected by City Council decisions than those made on a state or national level, Falwell said.

“We believe that students would be neglecting their responsibility as citizens if they did not exercise their right to vote.”