Groups rush to get out the vote
by Clayton Woullard
The Metropolitan
Political groups and student governments came together Oct. 25 to host
a “Sway the Day” event in one of several efforts to encourage
students to hit the polls Nov. 2.
Representatives from the campaigns of Democratic and Republican state
candidates, as well as members of the Auraria College Republicans and
Democrats of Auraria rallied for their respective candidates, but mostly
tried to make sure people know why they’re voting.
“It was a rally to let the students see that they have an impact
on the elections and that if they get out and vote they can really change
something,” said Jesse Samora, Metro student and ACR chairman, who
debated with two members of DoA at the event.
Samora debated alongside UCD student and ACR member Ira Dennison with
Angie Knepell, DoA co-president and Metro student, and Metro student Alan
Franklin, addressing questions on topics ranging from terrorism to the
economy.
On top of participating in the “Sway the Day” event, the
campus political groups will participate in statewide campaigns to make
sure all registered voters get to the polls.
Samora said all members of ACR will be participating in the 96-Hour Victory
Team, the Republican campaign to push people to vote, which starts four
days before Election Day and goes on until the polls close. Volunteers
will make phone calls and go door-to-door.
“You think of anything that could possibly get the vote out and
there will be somebody doing it,” Samora said. “We (Republicans)
want to make sure we can keep absolute control of Colorado.”
Pitman said he and other DoA members will participate in a four-day Get
Out The Vote effort, which will also, through phone calls and door-to-door
visits, push registered voters to vote for Democratic candidates.
“Their goal is to knock on people’s door a second time,”
Pitman said. “This is just a furtherance to try to get to everyone
again.”
The New Voters Project, the Denver-based organization whose aim is to
encourage people between the ages of 18 and 24 to vote, will also be conducting
calling registered voters and going door-to-door, but will conduct a Trick-Or-Vote
campaign this weekend, where volunteers will ask not for candy, but that
people vote.
“It’s effective because it’s face-to-face contact,”
said Bridget Fitzgerald, an Auraria Campus Coordinator for NVP. “It
gives a face to the name and the madness that is the last days of the
election.”
Fitzpatrick said NVP’s goal is to contact 3,200 people on Auraria
to encourage them to vote by Election Day.
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