As the 2012 presidential elections closed, candidates pushed issues directed towards first time voters, young voters in school, women and voters concerned about major manufacturing companies around the world.
This year’s election process highlighted crucial issues that affect a wide range of Americans.
Both candidates have visited battleground states, various cities and college campuses to encourage people to vote.
Celebrities like Alicia Keys and Fonzworth Bently have come to A&T’s campus to talk to the students about the importance of knowing their stance on political issues and how the candidates plan to help the country as a whole.
“It has helped me to see how important it is, especially seeing how celebrities come down to HBCUs to encourage students to vote,” said Katrina Fields, a sophomore psychology major from Oxford, N.C.
Also Tyson Beckford, Russell Simmons and A&T alum Jesse Jackson visited other areas in Greensboro.
Before A&T’s homecoming concert, Trey Songz made an appearance on Bennett’s campus.
Early voting began Oct. 18 on A&T’s campus and ended Nov. 3, the last day to early vote in the entire state.
There was a big push for people to vote early. At the Bill Clinton rally in Raleigh on Sunday, Sen. Kay Hagan (D-NC) stated that over 2.7 million people had voted early.
A march to polling the site in Dudley Building was held shortly after Alicia Keys left campus.
Early voting helps avoid problems that could occur when a person heads to the polls. Another bonus of early voting is that the polling location does not matter, which enabled off campus students to vote at Dudley, or any other polling site near them as opposed to their designated site.
As the first time many students have voted, Aggies were eager to partake in this election.
“My key reason to vote early was that the tuition has been rising and I really need to stay in school and better my life,” said Lison Miller, a sophomore psychology major from Erie, Pa.
Students and faculty on campus have been getting involved in the campaign from donating money, to volunteering time, or simply telling others about the importance of voting.
Four years ago, A&T alum Craig Stokes brought the campus his “My Vote Counts” t-shirts in a non-partisan effort to get people to vote. This election season has caused an increase of people wearing the shirts.
Bookstore Director, Donna Morris-Powell stated, “the shirts have a big sale in the bookstore.”
The Presidential debates showcased the candidates’ positions on various issues from women’s rights to universal healthcare.
One issue college students are discussing is where each candidate stands on higher education and it’s funding. President believes higher education is important and wants to make sure that it is affordable for all Americans.
Mitt Romney, however, wants to cut government funding for student loans.
He also wants to cut the Pell grant, a major source of funding for a lot of students.
“I love my education and my major and that’s some reasons why I voted, to keep myself in school,” Fields said.
As an alternative, he told students to ask their parents for the money for school.
Many Aggies tweeted that their parents did not have $30,000 for them to borrow, which further showed the clear disconnect between Romney’s reality and that of an average American.
“For the students and my grandchildren coming up in the world, I think President Obama will do great with a second as president,” said Patsy Frazelle, manager in Brown Hall. “We don’t want to see student loans reduced anymore or the Pell grant taken away.”
“This election is important because we are trying to correct things that did not go right in previous office administrations,” said assistant manager of Brown Hall, Tia Uitenham. –Email us [email protected] and follow us on Twitter
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- Noma Vilane & Erik Veal, Contributor
