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​Students assist with Gillespie, Northam campaigns

“People don’t realize how important these off-year elections are,” University Democrats spokesperson Virginia Chambers said. “But in Virginia, there aren’t any off-years.”

<p>Both Gillespie (top) and Northam (bottom) have students working on their campaigns.</p>

Both Gillespie (top) and Northam (bottom) have students working on their campaigns.

Students across Grounds are assisting with the Ralph Northam and Ed Gillespie gubernatorial campaigns for the November elections, coordinating student groups and working at local campaign offices.

University Democrats spokesperson Virginia Chambers, a rising second-year College student, is a fellow at the Democratic Party coordinated campaign office in Charlottesville.

“It is about half a mile from the Downtown Mall,” Chambers said. “It’s definitely a really fun opportunity, and it’s great way to get to know Charlottesville better. I’d definitely say I’ve gotten to know the community around me better.”

Chambers said that the campaign does not only work on electing Lt. Gov. Ralph Northam. They also support Democratic candidates from all levels of state and local government.

“The coordinated campaign supports candidates from up and down the ballot, from Ralph Northam to the lieutenant governor and attorney general positions, all the way down to City Council, Board of Supervisors,” Chambers said. “I, as a fellow, commit 10 to 15 hours a week, phone-banking, canvassing, otherwise [working at] the office.”

Chambers said she worked on the coordinated campaign for the president last year and decided to return to working on Democratic campaigns.

“I had such a great time last year, and I think it’s a really important way to get involved and to feel like I own a little of this election,” Chambers said.

Rising second-year College student Bradley Katcher, College Republicans vice chair of campaigns, is the director of Students for Ed Gillespie on Grounds.

“We’re excited about the campaign and Ed Gillespie,” Katcher said. “We work with the regional field director to organize that. We’re also in a joint campaign with the Republican Party of Virginia, so we’re working with other candidates — John Adams, Jill Vogel.”

Katcher also is a member of the Gillespie campaign’s student coalition and young professionals coalition.

“As a member of the [student] coalition, I’m on at least two conference calls with other coalition directors — other people at different universities who work in my role, as well as campaign managers and campaign staff, really to get an idea as to what’s going on in the campaign as well as how they can help us and how we can help them,” Katcher said.

Katcher said he reached out to the campaign in November, telling them he was interested in electing Ed Gillespie.

“I had talked about previous work I had done, campaigns and stuff, and I spoke with the guy on the campaign, and he put me in contact with the regional director out in Charlottesville,” Katcher said. “From there, I was able to get involved through that role. I reached out to the campaign, I talked about what I had done in the past and they found a good place for me there.”

Both Katcher and Chambers stressed that students who are interested in getting involved should reach out to the College Republicans and University Democrats.

“We love, love to have people involved — especially in 2017,” Katcher said. “This is going to be one of the most important, if not the most watched race in the country. Students can absolutely reach out to me if they want to get involved, they can come to the College Republican meetings, reach out to anyone on [executive committee].”

Chambers said there is “always” a time for students to participate in working on campaigns.

“People don’t realize how important these off-year elections are, but in Virginia, there aren’t any off-years,” Chambers said. “Every November, every fall is a political time here in Virginia. Whether you’re working for Gillespie or Northam, it’s really important as students and as citizens to continue to be involved in politics and governance.”

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