By Jessica Halper Cavalier Daily Staff Writer
While information about the presidential election bombards students from nearly all directions, most students hear very little about the congressional elections.
Third-year College student Nathan Vassar wants to change all that. He recently founded a new student organization, Hoo Represents, that launched its promotional drive last night.
The group aims to raise student awareness about the congressional elections and generally inform students about their state representatives, Vassar said.
"We want to promote educated choice," Vassar said.
After receiving CIO status just last week, the nonpartisan group, consisting of four members, has plans to distribute information about state representatives up for election in all 50 states at its major event, a "State Fair" in mid-October.
Hoo Represents "really wants people from other states to have the necessary information," Vassar said.
Co-founder Ross Baird, a second-year College student, said one of his goals for the group is to promote more student participation in the congressional elections.
"Politicians don't really pander to people our age," Baird said. "Hoo Represents is looking for a remedy to that."
Joshua Scott, director of programs at the Center for Politics, stressed the importance of voting in congressional elections.
"These are the people who are passing the laws on the federal level that are impacting our lives," Scott said. "It is just as important to vote for congressional leaders as it is to vote for presidential leaders."
While the turnout for congressional elections is higher during presidential election years, voters usually have little knowledge of the candidates, Scott said.
"There's a lack of discussion and information about congressional elections," Scott said. "They get overshadowed by the presidential election."
Hoo Represents is striving to spark that discussion about congressional races.
Scott said he hopes education and awareness will increase political participation in the upcoming elections, both congressional and presidential.
"Voting across the board is something that keeps our democracy healthy," Scott said.
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