Vote UP to host events to prepare students for November election

By Clare Duffy | September 8, 2016 3:53pm
vote_up
by The Beacon / The Beacon

Americans across the country will be heading to the ballot boxes exactly two months from today. The country will choose its next Commander-in-Chief, as well as other leaders on Capitol Hill and state representatives.

A variety of events on The Bluff have been planned to make sure students are informed and prepared to take part in what has been a highly contentious election. The Office of Student Activities and Vote UP are set to host weekly informational panels about the election, as well as a watch party for the first presidential debate later this month.

Young people’s votes have been a frequent topic of conversation during the lead-up to the election, with POTUS candidates each vying for the most millennial support.

And regardless of where University of Portland students have decided to pledge their vote (or even if they have yet to choose), Jeromy Koffler, faculty adviser for Vote UP, says it’s important to participate.

“The right to vote and participate in governance is one of the most cherished rights in America,” Koffler wrote in a letter to the editor of The Beacon earlier this week. “Voting for a particular candidate or piece of legislation is important, but participating supports the bigger idea as a whole, which is that the will of the people is a driving factor in the success of our country.”

Vote UP’s election preparation events are listed below:

September 13: Vote UP Kick-Off and Constitution Day Event: “Is the system fair?”

September 20: Vote UP Panel: “Immigration and Security in the Age of Terrorism”

September 26: First Presidential Debate Watch Party

September 27: Vote UP Panel: “What did we hear last night?”

October 4: Vice Presidential Debate Watch Party

October 9: Second Presidential Debate

October 11: Vote UP Panel: “Gender Issues”

October 18: Oregon Deadline to Register to Vote

October 19: Third Presidential Debate

October 25: Vote UP Panel: “The Economy”

November 1: Vote UP Panel: “The Evolution of Health Care” (topic subject to change, likely to include other key issues)

November 8: Election Day and Results Watch Party

*All Vote UP panels will be held at 7 p.m. in St. Mary’s and watch parties will be held at 6 p.m. in the Pilot House. More information about Vote UP can be found here.

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