DISCOVER. ENGAGE. LEAD. Students Take Hands-On Approach to Politics in 2020
Bella Erickson
Carter McLaughlin
SMSU students Bella Erickson and Carter McLaughlin spent their fall semester working to drum up student interest in the 2020 presidential election. Erickson, a senior Political Science and History double major, Criminal Justice minor, and McLaughlin, a junior Philosophy major and Pre-law, Religious Studies and Political Science minor, served as Campus Election Engagement Project (CEEP) Student Fellows. They helped students register, volunteer for campaigns, educate themselves on candidates and issues, navigate confusing voting laws and promote higher turnout at the polls. They are both advocates of the democratic process. “I’m a Political Science major so I believe in the power of democracy,” said Erickson, a Salem, S.D. native. “Students are an under-represented population. We tend to not vote as much as other age groups. I got involved because I think it’s important to have student voices heard. Promoting voting on campus is fun.” McLaughlin, an Eden Prairie native, said he believes that “given the state of the U.S. — where the political climate is at right now — this is one of the most important elections I’ll see in my lifetime. We do not persuade; we help students exercise their rights, and help them to know what to do.” Erickson concurred. “It’s a non-partisan organization. It doesn’t matter who the students vote for, they just need to vote. Personal feelings don’t come into play. It’s about engagement.” CEEP is a national nonpartisan project whose goal is to engage students in federal, state and local elections. Two fellowships were awarded to SMSU through the Center for Civic and Community Engagement, overseen by Career Services Director Melissa Scholten. “While the initial ideas about events and voter engagement activities I’d thought about in February changed due to COVID-19 precautions, it has been wonderful to see the creative ways that Carter and Bella have created voting resources and connected with other student organizations and voting initiatives that are taking place on campus,” said Scholten. The two started in September and finished their CEEP duties a couple of weeks after the election, when they filed their final report. They’ve worked hard to engage SMSU students in the democratic process, and have enjoyed a rewarding experiential education in the process.
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4 | FOCUS
SMSU students know how to get involved and over the years a number have jumped into politics at an early age. One of the earliest student politicians was 1974 alumnus Russ Stanton. He ran and won a seat on the Marshall City Council in 1971 as an 18-year-old. A year later, he ran successfully for the Minnesota State House. He served three terms. While serving in the legislature, he graduated from Southwest. Alumnus Marty Seifert, a Republican, served three terms in the House representing District 21A. He also ran for governor twice. Seifert was challenged unsuccessfully in one of those House races by the late SMSU President Doug Sweetland. This election season, Doria Drost, a Democrat, and Cory Becker, a Republican, were active participants in the democratic process. Drost is a 2019 alumna and a current MBA student at SMSU. She ran for the House District 16A seat, ultimately losing to incumbent Rep. Chris Swedzinski. Becker, a junior, was the regional field director for the Trump campaign. It was a paid, full-time position. Another SMSU alumnus, Ben Dolan ’12, ran for the House District 17A seat as a Democrat, losing to incumbent Rep. Tim Miller.
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Hubert H. Humphrey with Russ Stanton, SMSU Archives.
