With polls open across Virginia, the College Republicans, University Democrats and supporters of Russ Potts have prepared for today's electoral contests, especially the gubernatorial race, with activities and programs to garner votes and increase University involvement in the election.
College Republicans President Brian Gunn said the group has been preparing for Election Day for quite a while. Gunn said this week the group has focused specifically on putting up signs, phone banking and making door-to-door visits to reach people about voting.
University Democrats President Dave Wasserman said the group spent yesterday passing out get-out-the-vote literature and talking to people in local neighborhoods.
Today, however, Gunn and Wasserman said their groups are mainly concentrating on stationing themselves at polling stations across the area.
"For all 13 hours of Election Day we will have our people out at the polls," Gunn said. "We're going to have our people at polling precincts all day long during Election Day to hand out sample ballots and other materials. I don't plan on sleeping for the next 36 hours."
The University Democrats are working the polls as well as shuttling registered voters, mainly first years who cannot drive to the polls, Wasserman said.
"We're getting up at 6 a.m. to conduct 'visibility,' which means waving signs at key intersections in front of early morning commuters to make sure they know it's Election Day," Wasserman said.
The gubernatorial race is the electoral contest that is most important to both organizations, Gunn and Wasserman said.
"I'm just tremendously enthusiastic about this election right now," Wasserman said. "What it comes down to is that [Tim] Kaine is really the candidate that is watching out for college students."
Gunn also said the College Republicans' goal is to have a Republican governor to represent Virginia.
"We don't believe [Jerry Kilgore's] opponent is being honest with the people of Virginia and is misrepresenting them," he said.
Though emphasis is being put on the governor's race, Wasserman and Gunn said their groups still recognize the importance of the lieutenant governor and attorney general contests.
"All three of those races are pretty much together -- we work for all of them as a group," Gunn said.
Wasserman said the University Democrats seek to raise awareness of other Democratic candidates on today's ballot to strengthen the party's base.
"Craig Deeds and [Leslie] Byrne are [Kaine's] ticket mates, and we're doing everything we can to make sure enthusiasm for Democrats down-ballot is just as strong," he said.
University Democrats and College Republicans, however, are not the only groups interested in tomorrow's results. Independent gubernatorial candidate Russ Potts also is represented, though indirectly, on Grounds, said fourth-year College student Mark T. Pennypacker, Jr., a former Potts campaign staffer and creator of the "Hoos For Russ Potts for Governor" facebook group.
"As of a result of the constraints of establishing a CIO ... it was not possible to establish an on-Grounds club for an independent candidate for one year," Pennypacker said.
According to Pennypacker there have been numerous events in support of Potts.
"We've built a small volunteer network, basically, sizeable enough to put signs in their yards, and put up signs for event days," he said. "We also held a candidate tailgate for one of the football games, which gave him an opportunity to meet students and meet President [John T.] Casteen [III]."
Pennypacker said he supports Potts "because he's the only candidate that supports abortion rights, and he also has the most rational transportation plan for Virginia, a plan that is so very vital in this time of transportation crisis"
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