Spring Break
Clubs encouraged voter registration
by Rebecca Klein
Editorial assistant
News | 10/7/08
Posted online at 2:19 AM EST on 10/7/08
/ Last updated at 3:17 AM EST on 10/7/08
Club leaders encouraged students to vote by providing information about where the presidential candidates stand on issues pertaining to their club's mission during Rock the Vote, an event held on the Great Lawn last Wednesday, Sept. 23 that marked the end of the Student Union's club voter registration contest.
About 50 students registered to vote at Rock the Vote, according to an e-mail to the Justice from Elise Diamond '09, assistant director for Student Events and Rock the Vote coordinator.
In an e-mail to the Justice, Student Union President Jason Gray '10 wrote, "There were 102 voter registration forms collected through the clubs for the Brandeis Votes competition. … The majority of voter registration forms were for the Massachusetts area."
He wrote, "It is fewer than we hoped for, which was disappointing, but still important that we were able to register new voters and bring more people into the political process."
The Citizenship Week event was planned by Student Events in conjunction with the Student Union's Brandeis Votes initiative. The event is associated with the national Rock the Vote organization that tries to motivate young people to become politically active and aware.`
"It is a voter registration drive. [The purpose is to] help educate students to be informed voters and therefore better citizens with a solid knowledge of the issues in this election, such as healthcare, relations with Israel, and renewable energy sources," said Diamond.
Students for Environmental Action, STAND: A Student Anti-Genocide Coalition, Brandeis Democrats, the Brandeis Labor Coalition, Positive Foundations and 11 other clubs presented information about the candidates' stance on their issues at the event.
Caitlin Smith '10, a member of the Brandeis Labor Coalition explained, "We show what [Barack Obama's and John McCain's] past history has been on labor issues. For instance, Barack Obama advocates raising the minimum wage, and in the past he has opposed the United States Dominican Central America Free Trade Agreement. Also, he's an opponent of [North American Free Trade Agreement], and in the past John McCain has supported NAFTA and the United States Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement."
About 50 students registered to vote at Rock the Vote, according to an e-mail to the Justice from Elise Diamond '09, assistant director for Student Events and Rock the Vote coordinator.
In an e-mail to the Justice, Student Union President Jason Gray '10 wrote, "There were 102 voter registration forms collected through the clubs for the Brandeis Votes competition. … The majority of voter registration forms were for the Massachusetts area."
He wrote, "It is fewer than we hoped for, which was disappointing, but still important that we were able to register new voters and bring more people into the political process."
The Citizenship Week event was planned by Student Events in conjunction with the Student Union's Brandeis Votes initiative. The event is associated with the national Rock the Vote organization that tries to motivate young people to become politically active and aware.`
"It is a voter registration drive. [The purpose is to] help educate students to be informed voters and therefore better citizens with a solid knowledge of the issues in this election, such as healthcare, relations with Israel, and renewable energy sources," said Diamond.
Students for Environmental Action, STAND: A Student Anti-Genocide Coalition, Brandeis Democrats, the Brandeis Labor Coalition, Positive Foundations and 11 other clubs presented information about the candidates' stance on their issues at the event.
Caitlin Smith '10, a member of the Brandeis Labor Coalition explained, "We show what [Barack Obama's and John McCain's] past history has been on labor issues. For instance, Barack Obama advocates raising the minimum wage, and in the past he has opposed the United States Dominican Central America Free Trade Agreement. Also, he's an opponent of [North American Free Trade Agreement], and in the past John McCain has supported NAFTA and the United States Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement."
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