Students on Elon University’s campus are getting prepared for the midterm elections. Two groups on campus are trying to do their part to get students excited and interested in local and national elections.
The College Democrats and College Republicans chapters at Elon have both been involved in civic engagement, bringing local candidates to campus and trying to bridge the gap for politically disengaged students at Elon. To do this, both organizations have hosted or participated in events that emphasize the upcoming election.
For the College Republicans, Public Relations Chair Gillian Prichard said one of their biggest goals was to offer students of any political background a space to talk and share ideas and opinions.
“I’d say support for college kids specifically who might be too scared to speak up or speak out in their classes or in their personal lives,” Prichard said. “I think it’s really, really important for us to say ‘Hey, we are a safe space for you to come to.’”
The College Republicans have also committed themselves to getting outside of their regular meeting space and involved within the Alamance County community. Recently, the organization took part in an event hosted by the Alamance Republican Women of North Carolina.
“We can get involved in the community and see what events they’re doing, and if we can have a little bit more community outreach, because our goal this semester is to be recognized as a club and a legit organization,” Prichard said.
In the past, the organization has hosted speakers at their meetings, including state Senator Amy Galey and Chairman of the North Carolina GOP Jason Simmons. This semester, the organization is hoping to host more speakers. At a meeting in early September, Alamance County district attorney candidate Sean Boone made a surprise visit and spoke to the organization.
“He said basically the best thing we can do as a club — because we asked him — is get involved, do outreach, don’t be afraid to speak up, don’t be afraid to expand your organization,” Prichard said.
As Election Day nears, Prichard said the College Republicans will be using social media as much as possible to remind students to vote.
On the other side, the College Democrats have placed their focus on local Alamance County elections. The organization has been hosting a speaker series at their bi-weekly meetings, with speakers such as Alamance County sheriff candidate Shannon Long and district attorney candidate Scott Drorbaugh speaking at a recent meeting.
President of the College Democrats Noah Mallion said students can get caught up in day-to-day life and forget that there is an upcoming election, but these events serve as reminders about what is happening and how to get involved.
“A big point of emphasis is definitely attending meetings where you can come and speak with Alamance County Democratic representatives,” Mallion said. “You can speak with current candidates. You can get all the information that you need directly firsthand.”
According to Elon University’s website, around 75% of Elon’s student population comes from out of state, and for the College Democrats educating that group of students is extremely important. Mallion described how the Northeast tends to swing blue, but local races in Alamance County can be more competitive. Mallion said the out of state students have a more powerful vote in local elections because races can go either way.
“That’s actually one of our number one focuses right now, is trying to educate out-of-state residents who currently live here at Elon as students, that changing their registration can actually make a major difference,” Mallion said.
Mallion said the organization views its relationship with local candidates and the Alamance County Democratic Party as a partnership. Students in the organization can network and get experience with canvassing and phone banking, while candidates get help with getting elected.
In the lead up to Election Day, the group is trying to host North Carolina Democratic Party Chairwoman Anderson Clayton on campus and a tailgate at a home football game with local candidates.
Mallion encouraged students who do not want to be part of a partisan organization but still want to be civically engaged to get involved with Elon Votes!
Mallion emphasized how young people are more in tune with politics now than they were a decade ago. He highlighted the current tense political landscape in America but made a point to note how young people have a ton of opportunity to get involved and have a seat at the table.
“People are very sick and tired of older generations having run our country and being seemingly out of touch with the younger generations,” Mallion said.