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We Inform. You Decide.
VOLUME 117 ISSUE 6
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2022
Not officially associated with the University of Florida
Published by Campus Communications, Inc. of Gainesville, Florida
Nikki Fried, Danielle Hawk on abortion access HAWK’S RUNNING FOR U.S. HOUSE SEAT By Heather Bushman Alligator Staff Writer
For decades, they thought it was a bluff. Democrats like Nikki Fried and Danielle Hawk never believed the U.S. Supreme Court would overturn Roe v. Wade — the landmark decision that secured the right to an abortion. Though a looming threat in every election cycle, Fried said progressive politicians never imagined the reversal would happen. Democrats subsequently took their feet off the gas, said Fried, the Florida commissioner of agriculture and a former Democratic gubernatorial candidate. They took votes for granted and didn’t campaign as intensely as they should’ve during election season, allowing a conservative majority on the court that put years of talk into action. The overturn happened in June, and Gainesville protestors took to the
streets to express their outrage. At a Heartwood Soundstage forum Sept. 24, Fried said nationwide Democratic denial is to blame. “We got here because we thought we never would get here,” she said. Now, Democrats are rallying to reverse the Supreme Court’s decision. In Florida and across the country, candidates are running on platforms that spotlight reproductive health care and the right to an abortion. Fried and Hawk brought that platform point to Gainesville as they engaged with voters on the issue. Fried and Hawk, the Democratic candidate for the U.S. House seat in Florida’s 3rd Congressional District, hosted a discussion on reproductive freedom for a crowd of about 20 people. The pair emphasized the importance of reproductive health care and mobilizing voters ahead of November’s general election. Both Fried and Hawk’s platforms put abortion rights as a top issue. The
SEE FORUM, PAGE 5
UF students express voter apathy for Student Government elections STUDENTS REPORT MIXED FEELINGS FOR FALL ELECTION By Alissa Gary Alligator Staff Writer
With Student Government elections Sept. 27 and 28 right around the corner, UF students have varying opinions on how SG should function — that is, if they have an opinion at all. Several UF students have heard about SG but never looked into how, when and where to vote. Lack of interest or incentive is often the main culprit, which contributes to exceedingly low voter turnout for SG elections. Yonash Petit, an 18-year-old computer science freshman, said he doesn’t know anything about SG. However, he said he might vote in the election if he’s near a polling place at the right time. But, he wouldn’t know which candidates to vote for. “If it’s convenient, then I’ll vote,” Petit said. Despite weeks of election-season campaigning every year, voter turnout in Fall SG elections has historically been low, wavering between 13% and 20% between 2012 and 2019, according to university enrollment rates and SG voting records. The pandemic knocked that percentage down to 4.2% in 2020, and it has since climbed back up to 13.6% in 2021. Only about 136 in every
SPORTS/SPECIAL/CUTOUT Far from home, making an impact
Story description finish with comma, pg# Gators setter Alexis Stucky is already playing in big moments after coming to UF from Wyoming. Read more on pg. 11.
Sophia Abolfathi // Alligator Staff
Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Nikki Fried discusses reproductive rights with congressional nominee Danielle Hawk at Heartwood Soundstage Saturday, Sept. 24, 2022.
1,000 students tend to vote, according to the most recent data from 2021. Kris Lobo, a 20-year-old UF political science junior, said they might vote in next week’s election if they have time. They’re busy doing school work and running their club: Students versus Zombies. Lobo can’t afford the time to learn about student politics, they said. “In class no one really informed us about it,” Lobo said. “You kind of have to go out of your way to learn about it.” In an effort to engage students in the SG process, party representatives often flag down passersby in Turlington or in front of the Reitz Union. This campaign strategy consumes more time from students like Lobo — a quality they said was annoying. If candidates handed out simple fliers instead, Lobo said they’d be more likely to review SG information on their own time. “I feel like it’s better than having to actually interact with someone and take time out of your day because we’re all busy,” Lobo added. Pedro Manzato, a 19-year-old UF business administration sophomore, said he had a similar experience with representatives who table. He knows absolutely nothing about SG, aside from being approached by students canvassing while rushing across campus, he said. “I feel like they could do just a better job of getting their points out,” Manzato said.
SEE SG OPINIONS, PAGE 4
City’s anti-riot suit advances CITY’S MOTION ADVANCED IN COURT SEPT. 20
By Aidan Bush Alligator Staff Writer
The city of Gainesville won its first victory in what’s expected to be a prolonged battle against Florida’s anti-riot law championed by Gov. Ron DeSantis. In a Sept. 20 hearing, the city advanced a motion from the state to dismiss its multicity lawsuit. Three cities didn’t enjoy the same success, being dropped from the case. Now, Gainesville and its partners will have time to reorganize their case before litigation proceeds. The state and dismissed members of the suit will also have time to appeal the court’s decision. House Bill 1 — also known as the “antiriot” or “Combatting Public Disorder” bill — took effect April 2021. The law created new criminal charges for non-peaceful protests including felony offenses for violently rioting and damaging monuments. The bill also required local governments to seek approval from the state before defunding police budgets. Gainesville was the first to challenge the law and recruited other city governments to file a suit against HB 1 in November. Its primary concern was if the bill would hinder local government by limiting cities’ control over budget. The case is deeply tied to racial justice protests, as the legislation became DeSantis’ priority in September 2020 in response
OPINION: Student Government parties make their case
Gator, Change and Liberation have candidates slated for the Fall election, pg. 8
Charlie Crist makes campaign stop in Gainesville
He discussed abortion access, education and gun reform, pg. 5
to nationwide riots following the murder of George Floyd and death of Breonna Taylor. Critics of the bill claim HB 1 has seen inconsistent enforcement, as Cuban protests in July 2021 blocked major streets in Miami with no criminal citations under the bill, as reported by The Washington Post. Since Gainesville initiated the suit, eight other municipalities joined to file similar complaints. In an attempt to dismiss the lawsuit, the state filed a motion to drop the case in May on the grounds of lack of cause. North Bay Village left the case voluntarily prior to the dismissal. Leon County Judicial Circuit Court Judge J. Lee Marsh ruled in favor of advancing a majority of the suit challenging HB 1. Gainesville remains one of the five cities advancing in the case. Lake Worth, North Miami and North Miami Beach were dismissed as a result of not having direct plans to act in a way that would see limitations from HB 1. Jonathan Miller, a lawyer representing Gainesville and chief program officer of nonprofit legal team Public Rights Project, said the suit’s survival in any capacity was a massive success. “This is a very tough political environment right now to push against this legislature and this governor,” Miller said. “It’s incredibly brave and powerful what these cities are doing.”
SEE HB 1, PAGE 5
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