Election excitement surges through campus

Election frenzy took over campus all day on Tuesday, as students walking to classes were stopped and asked if they had voted, or if they were planning on voting. From the commuter lot to the Memorial Union Building, almost every inch of campus was covered in campaign posters, messages in chalk, student volunteers and shuttle buses to the polls.

Students for Obama (UNH College Democrats) provided students on campus with free transportation to the polls, and were joined by other supporters of the president as they inundated campus with “Get out the Vote” messages. Although many of the volunteers sported Obama signs, they advocated primarily for students to get to the polls and to cast a vote.

“It’s the next four years of our lives,” said Michaela Barry, a volunteer. “I think it’s really important for students to vote because we’re going to be out in the real world soon dealing with these issues.”

Barry had been in front of the MUB since 6 a.m., handing out free T-shirts and donuts, and providing students with voter register information to direct them to the shuttle buses.

College Democrats organized for two coach buses and six minivans to drive around campus from 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., providing students and faculty alike with rides to Oyster River High School, where they could register to vote.

“Earlier this morning there were around 2,000 people coming to the polls from campus,” Barry said. “Most of them have been Obama supporters, but we do have Romney supporters coming over to us because they don’t have rides to the polls. We want everyone to vote.”

Almost all major areas of campus were decorated with Women for Obama signs and Students for Obama signs, alongside larger posters that had information on how to register and where people could find transportation to the polls.

One member of College Democrats stood outside Hamilton Smith Hall, talking to students about the issues and waving a sign that read, “VOTING IS LIKE SEX. (It’s wicked easy).”

“People are really excited,” the member said. “I’ve been talking to people about the differences between the two candidates and letting them make their own decisions. If someone is going to vote for Romney I still give them a fist-bump, because voting is too important not to do.”

UNH students weren’t the only ones eager to get involved in the election Tuesday. Twenty student volunteers and members of College Democrats from Harvard University in Massachusetts visited UNH to participate in a New Hampshire election.

Harvard students Ben Zauzmer and Alex Wirth stood in front of Horton on College Way, stumping for Obama and asking people to head to the polls.

“A lot of us are here because we support the president,” Zauzmer said as he directed a group of students to a shuttlebus.“ And others are here because they want to make sure as many people as possible get out and vote.”

Zauzmer said that he is an Obama supporter, but that it is more important to him that people vote, especially in New Hampshire, because it is a state that is so important to the presidential election.

“New Hampshire is the state,” he said. “It’s the biggie, and we can’t get to Ohio. It’s not usual in New England that there’s a swing state other than New Hampshire, so it really is the place to be.”

Zauzmer is not a member of College Democrats, but said that he decided to join his roommate, Wirth, who is a member of the organization. Wirth said he was optimistic about the UNH voter turnout.


“Over half the people I’ve talked to have already voted today,” Wirth said. “Which is exciting since it’s only noon. This is a key example of how young people can make a difference in this election.”