MU College Democrats and Republicans canvass and make calls
Various students across campus stress the importance of the election in November.
Aug. 26, 2008
Over the hum of a blender in Starbucks on Ninth Street, freshman Tina Casagrand shuffles through her bag to find a clipboard stacked full of empty voter registration forms.
As she frees the overstuffed board from her canvas sack, she explains the importance of voting in this election to another incoming freshman not yet registered in the state of Missouri.
Her goal, she says, is to encourage students "to volunteer and make a difference in their own community."
Casagrand, a Lebanon, Mo., native, spent her summer as an organizer for presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama's campaign in Independence, Mo., where she worked daily registering voters, phone banking and even holding house meetings to facilitate discussion and help to get others involved in the process.
Of 10,000 applicants for the position, only 3,500 were accepted. In Missouri, Casagrand said, about 100 people, many between the ages of 17 to 24, were actively working to help field organizers.
These hours of hard work appear to be characteristic of Casagrand, who said she was raised with the "value that one must work hard for whatever they want to actually see results."
It was with that idea in mind that she signed on and began working for the fellows program.
"The country needs this," Casagrand said. "I wanted to make a difference in a very positive way. After meeting people who need health care, whose sons and daughters have been to Iraq, I'm working for them now."
Shane Chinni, also a freshman, is working in support of the campaign for presumptive Republican presidential nominee John McCain.
Chinni, a self-described "moderate conservative" who recently became the Columbia precinct leader for the Missouri Republican Party said he wants to make people comfortable with their vote.
He worked this past summer, handing out bumper stickers and holding forums with other students to share facts about McCain and had "honest political discussion."
"I want to get people out of the mindset of 'I don't like the way he looks, he's too old, he's white, he's black'," Chinni said. "I want to make people aware of what the issues are and what issues are important to them not just for this election but for elections to come. No matter what people vote for, I want them to vote."
Casagrand and Chinni said they understand the importance of voting in the state of Missouri. Politicians and student activists alike embrace the unique political position that Missouri is in.
Missouri is a storied bellwether state - the winner of the presidential election here has achieved a seat in the White House every year since 1904, excluding 1956.
In recognition of this rare opportunity, MU College Republicans Chairman Jon Ratliff has vamped up the organization's exposure for the coming months in support of McCain.
"We plan to get in touch with at least 1,200 Republicans on campus," said Ratliff on Monday afternoon at Speaker's Circle, as he worked a table crowded with young members of the MU College Republicans.
The group is currently phone banking for McCain every Tuesday and canvassing every weekend.
"When October comes, we're going to start crunch time," Ratliff said.
Ratliff said he is hopeful for their chances despite what he said was a 60/40 political split at MU with Democrats leading.
"(President George) Bush won Missouri in 2004 and was far more right and disliked than McCain is," Ratliff said. "If McCain is more moderate than Bush, we have a pretty good chance at making Columbia go McCain."
With technology at their expense, campaign groups have many opportunities to attract the 18 - 24 set to the polls. Facebook users can become "fans" of politicians and get regular updates, go to their favorite politicians Web site and register to vote and volunteer, even engage in online political debates.
MU College Democrats President Caitlin Ellis said technology has helped fundraising efforts.
"Technology is being utilized to an extent that it never was before," Ellis said. "The Republicans have not been as quick to adapt to new technology, and that will hurt them in November."
Ellis said students' relationship with politics has increased in recent years.
"For many young people, it can be difficult to see how politics affects their daily lives, but more recently issues like student loans, higher gas prices and the war in Iraq have made it clear how important it is who we elect to be our next president."
Related blog posts
- Voter registration deadline Oct. 8 (from Politics Watch)
- Find out where your vote counts more (from Politics Watch)
- Election Day events at Memorial Union (from Politics Watch)
- Voters approve Proposition A (from Politics Watch)
- Zweifel takes aim at Blunt (from Politics Watch)
Related articles
- Voters discuss ballot initiatives
- A look at Missouri's ballot initiatives
- County reports record number of new voters
- Mo. Democrats hope to claim House majority
- MU faculty donate more to Democrats
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