City Council President Promotes Student Voting

City Council President Zack Filipovich visited UMD on Monday, Oct. 3 to speak with a class on the importance of voting.

Photo by Cole White/Statesman

Filipovich graduated from UMD with a major in accounting and minors in political science and marketing. At age 23, he is the youngest elected city councilman in Duluth’s history.

Filipovich returned to his alma mater to speak at a seminar class taught by Kirby Student Center Director Jeni Eltink.

Filipovich asked students where they thought the lowest precinct for voter turnout in the last election in Duluth was.

“UMD was the lowest precinct,” Filipovich said. UMD’s precinct (a district in a city marked for governmental purposes) voter turnout was 4.2 percent.

“I want that 4.2 percent to be as high as every other precinct,” Filipovich said.

Filipovich went on to stress the importance of voting, not only for presidential elections but state and local as well.

“If you don’t vote you can’t complain,” Filipovich said.

Filipovich explained that local and state elections affect what streets get repaired, how the budget is divided and what services are available in town.

“Local government does make a difference and it’s a huge difference,” Eltink said.

The attention turned towards the students, who were offered an opportunity to ask questions to Filipovich.

One student asked Filipovich what he thought his future would be like during his freshman year at UMD.

“I grew up in Duluth and I knew I wanted to stay in Duluth,” Filipovich said. “I thought I was going to be an accountant. I did not expect to run for city council.”

To finish, Filipovich and Eltink reminded students that October 17 is the last day to fill out voter registration forms.