A
vote for a cookie? Junior Kaitlin DeCero, co-coordinator of the Indiana
Public Interest Research Group New Voters Project, said the group will
be handing out cookies around campus Tuesday to those who have voted or
plan to vote as "a little incentive."
"I anticipate a greater turnout for students (and) feel like there
should be because we are not the only people trying to get people to go
out to the polls," DeCero said.
With Tuesday's election approaching, student groups such as the IU
College Republicans and IU College Democrats have been around campus
encouraging and informing students about candidates and how to vote.
The most talked-about race in the state of Indiana is the 9th District
congressional race between incumbent Republican Mike Sodrel and
Democrat Baron Hill, said political science professor Russell Hanson.
Sodrel and Hill and running against each other for the third time.
"At this point, it is very impossible to predict," Hanson said about
the 9th District race. "Hill currently has a 2 percent lead, and both
are going to work very hard to continue their campaign up until
Election Day."
Hanson said he feels this is a race independents will decide. Usually,
he said, independents tend to vote Democrat, but this year, it could go
either way.
Sophomore Brian Clampitt, communications director for the IU College
Democrats, said he feels students who consider themselves to be
independent usually vote for a Democrat or an incumbent in off-year
elections. In this case, the incumbent would be Sodrel, a Republican.
"Our main goal is trying to get college kids to vote," Clampitt said.
"We think the race is going in our favor ... We've been having speakers
come in to meetings, and everyone we have talked to is really into the
race and excited to help and volunteer."
Clampitt explained that over the past few months, the IU College
Democrats were at the Indiana Memorial Union encouraging people to
register to and vote.
Nicole Mossey, press secretary for the IU College Republicans, said she
agrees that a lot of students will vote because of the hype of this
election.
"A big thing, most important, is getting the voters in touch with the
candidates," Mossey said. "Whether college or middle age ... If you do
not know who is running, then you're probably not going to vote for
them."
The IU College Republicans have also been encouraging people to vote
and register the past few months, along with making phone calls and
knocking on doors.
Clampitt said the IU College Democrats have been encouraging students
to vote early, which anyone can do through Monday. INPIRG has also been
on campus each day letting people know where and how they can vote to
make things easier, DeCero said.
"(There is) no excuse not to do it," DeCero said. "If you don't have
time, you can vote early. Students should have opinions about these
issues."
Today and Tuesday, INPIRG will be stationed at the literature desk in
the Memorial Union with a laptop, and students will be able to come and
type in their address to find their polling location.
"We want to make sure everyone has the resources available," DeCero
said. "A lot of students didn't know where the polling locations were."
DeCero also added that a lot of students don't register in this county
but instead fill out an absentee ballot for their hometown. She said
students live here nine months out of the year and are more affected by
who is elected here than who is elected back home.
"That is my encouragement to get students to register and vote down
here and have a say," DeCero said. "One vote can make a difference."
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