The Cavalier Daily
Serving the University Community Since 1890

​College Republicans, University Democrats engage in last minute ‘Get Out The Vote’ efforts

Student groups help out in Charlottesville, beyond

With one week left until the Virginia midterm elections on Nov. 4, the University Democrats and College Republicans are working hard to turn out the vote.

“We are doing a lot of Get out to Vote operations, knocking on doors, making phone calls to potential and likely voters [and] trying to spread the word about our candidates,” said third-year College student Mac McClure, chairman of the College Republicans.

“We hope to energize people to vote,” University Democrats president Kat Bailey said. “There's a Wahoos for Warner group that has been doing a lot of outreach within the U.Va. community. We also plan to paint Beta Bridge.”

Voter turnout efforts require a lot of manpower, and both groups are working hard to recruit volunteers.

“We have a lot of students eager to help out,” Bailey said. “Currently, the campaign is in the midst of 'Get Out the Vote,' so members will be phone-banking and canvassing in the days leading up to the election.”

Besides making calls for incumbent Sen. Mark Warner and House candidate Lawrence Gaughan, University Democrats are also reaching out to voters on behalf of other Democratic candidates throughout the United States. College Republicans are working outside of Virginia as well.

“In the next week it is basically all campaigning,” McClure said. “We are doing one on-Grounds event and several at the local Albemarle County Republican headquarters. We are definitely trying to reach young Republican voters.”

The midterm elections consists of just two races in Charlottesville, with the senate race being the most publicized, between Warner, the Democratic, Republican Ed Gillespie and Libertarian Robert Sarvis.

“A lot of people want to see some changes in the Senate and Gillespie provides that,” said McClure.

Currently, polls show Warner in the lead with Gillespie down about 10 points. The Republican party hopes to capture the Senate by gaining six seats with this round of midterms.

“We … hope that Democrats keep control of the Senate,” Bailey said. “The Warner campaign has been doing a lot of great work in the Charlottesville community, and we have assisted them in their efforts to reach Charlottesville voters.”

Ten out of 11 Virginia House of Representatives seats are contested in this election. Many races lack incumbents or contain a third or fourth party candidate. Charlottesville is in Virginia’s fifth district for the House, where incumbent Republican Robert Hurt has a large lead over challenger Gaughan.

“We are very fortunate to have a great representative in the fifth district in Robert Hurt and [the College Republicans] have been doing a lot of work for him,” McClure said.

Young adults traditionally turn out for elections at a lower rate than other age groups. As of 2012 only 38 percent of young adults aged 18 to 25 showed up to the polls. Both groups on Grounds remain hopeful that this will improve.

“A lot of people are going to get out to vote,” McClure said. “I think it’s going to be exciting.”

Students can vote by going to a local voting site or submitting an absentee ballot. The deadline to apply for an absentee ballot has already passed, but individuals who requested one may still vote by absentee ballot so long as their ballots are received by 7 p.m. on election day. In-person absentee voting continues throughout the week.

A previous version of this article said that absentee ballots are due by 5 p.m. on election day. They are due by 7 p.m. on election day.

Comments

Latest Podcast

The University’s Associate Vice Provost for Enrollment and Undergraduate Admission, Greg Roberts, provides listeners with an insight into how the University conducts admissions and the legal subtleties regarding the possible end to the consideration of legacy status.



https://open.spotify.com/episode/02ZWcF1RlqBj7CXLfA49xt