Gamecocks defeat Volunteers 27-24 PG 7
dailygamecock.com MONDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2018
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA
VOL. 111, NO. 12 l SINCE 1908
Faculty looks to inspire students to vote HANNAH DEAR @HannahCDear
YOUR VOTE YOUR FUTURE YOUR HANDS Political organizations encourage student vote MEGHAN CRUM @megcrum24
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lection day for the midterm elections on Nov. 6 is rapidly approaching, and students from different political groups on campus are encouraging their fellow students to get out and vote for what they believe in. According to Logan Martin, a third-year psychology student and president of the College Democrats, the College Democrats, College Libertarians and the College Republicans teamed up with the Leadership and Service Student and registered over 500 students in their respective states. He emphasized the power that students have in the upcoming elections. “We as college students, we can be one of the biggest voting blocks in elections, but campaigns don’t really consider that because we don’t go out and vote,” Martin said. “But
really, if we were all to vote, we could decide an election.” He emphasized the strong influence students could potentially have on the outcome of the elections. “I think that it’s important for college students especially to get out and vote because that’s really where our power is. It’s not in money, and it’s not really in volunteer time,” Martin said. “If we vote, then people really have to pay attention to us.” Jacob Vining, a third-year biology student and president of the College Republicans, goes out and helps campaign for the candidates and politicians he feels most represents his values. He hopes that he and the members of his organization will have an impact on the elections. “Politics are local, and we feel like we can get involved with local campaigns and help, especially at the state level,” Vining said. “I think it’s the most patriotic thing you could
SEE ELECTION PAGE 1
PUBLIC DOMAIN // PHOTO
GRAPHIC BY BRANDI SANICHAR// THE GAMECOCK
College student turnout for past elections According to Democracy Counts: A Report on U.S. College and University Student Voting
W it h t he Nov. 6 m idter m ele c t ion s lo om i ng over t he countr y, some professors are approaching t he vot ing issue by educating students on how voting is what keeps democracy alive. “I use the classroom as a forum to discuss the importance of the vote,” said Todd Shaw, head of the political science department. “Definitely do not tell them who to vote for, but I encourage them to exercise that right.” Shaw is not the only professor at USC teach i ng st udent s about the importance of voting in a u nique way. Law school professor Derek Black spoke at t he TEDxUofSC event on Oct. 9 to raise awareness to the problem of students not being educated to vote responsibly due to a decline in the public education system. “We need to invest in ou r public education systems and to make sure they’re teaching the skills that folks need to be effective citizens so that when they go to the ballot box they can exercise that ballot intelligently,” Black said. T he c he c k s a nd b a l a nc e s keeping each branch of local, state and national government are at risk, according to Black. The congressional races will determine which party has the majorit y for the remainder of President Trump’s term which t h e n a f f e c t s t h e e a s e w it h wh ich leg islat ion is pa s sed. The outcome of the midterm elections could also ref lect the 2020 presidential campaign. “There’s a tremendous amount on the line in terms of checks and balances,” Black said. “Will congress be a co-equal branch of government or will the executive branch be given carte blanche to do whatever it wants?” Com i ng f rom a u n iversit y professor perspective, both Black and Shaw vote with the issue of education at the forefront. Black believes the officials voted into office will dictate how affordable college is to students through how much they are required to pay in student loans. “ I do b e l ie v e t h at p ubl ic education is the foundation of our democracy,” Black said. “I believe that ... the ability to get a decent higher education at a price you can afford is also key to the American Dream.” S h a w ’s p o l i t i c a l s c i e n c e students often discuss voting and elections throughout the semesters, regardless of whether it is an election year. He chose t o e duc at e s t ude nt s on t he mechan ics of vot ing so t hey had a greater appreciation for their constitutional right. This included discussions on how to register, what the process is in South Carolina and the current and historical barriers to voting. SEE TEDX PAGE 1
GRAPHIC BY ELLIE LARSON // THE GAMECOCK