The Pendulum
NEWS
Thursday, October 7, 2004 • Page 9
2004
b~7'' and first-time voters’ decision-making;
N^alSipaign taUying responses from students at Debate Watches
Jessica Patchett
Editor in Chief
“This is a different group of kids than we had
eight years ago,” said George Taylor, professor
of political science and public administration.
Tliis election year; students are more in tune
and more informed than the previous generation
of first-time voters, according to Taylor.
Taylor brought the National Campaign for
Political & Civic Engagement to Elon and
directs students in adapting the national program
to the local campus.
According to a Harvard University Institute
of Politics survey, 62 percent of college students
said they definitely plan to vote in this election.
TTiis engaged group of the registered college
peculation is up 50 percent fix)m college votCT
turnout in 2000.
The Institute of Politics also reports that 4 out
of 10 young voters do not identify themselves
What to do Friday
before you go out:
Debate Watch
What:
A town hall style debate
When:
Friday, Oct. 8
9 -10:30 p.m.
Where to catch it:
PBS (Channel 4)
CBS (Channel 9)
NBC (Channel 12)
FOX (Channel 8)
ABC (Channels 10,11)
•FOX NEWS (Channel 40)
CNN (Channel 34)
MSNBC (Channel 59)
CSPAN (Channel 39)
The National Campaign will not
host a formal Debate Watch
Friday but will resume hosting
group Debate Watches Oct. 13
for the final Presidential debate
on domestic issues.
witti a political patty, and generally do not com-
niit to voting for a particular candidate until late
in the election year.
The presidential debates were helpful for
firet-time voters, according to responses from
students attending the first Debate Watch.
“For die first time, I think they could see the
candidates discussing the issues,” Taylor said.
“[Student moderators] had to cut two of the dis
cussion groups off at 11; 15 - almost no one left
after the debate.”
Students stayed in McEwen long after the i
debates had finished to discuss topics such as
what issues they found helpful, which were irrel
evant and whether or not the debates would
affect the way they would vote.
Polls conducted following the first presiden
tial debate cited scane undecided voters deciding
to vote for John Keny, but none moving their
vote to Ge«ge W. Bush.
Does Taylor think this infcxmation is accu-
late-? “I think the debates will change some peo-'
nle’s minds,” he said. Regardless of which can
didate young voters mark on their ballots thb
fall, Taylor’s goal and the driving purpose of the
National Can^gn for Political and Cmc
Engagement is to get students voting.
“If we can get tiiem to vote for tiie first time,
then they will probably be more engaged and
buy into the voting tiling,” TaylOT said.
"The National Campaign has documented tiie
registration of about 40 percent of the student
bSTthe magic number they set last spring. But
3cc^g toTaytor, the
until that 40 percent returns a checked ballot
Students, faculty chosen to participate in campus debate
The Student Government Association and a supporting committee have chosen 12 individuals to prepare a^um^^^^^ for
w7de Presidential Election Issues Debate to be held at 7 p.m. on Oct. 21 in McKinnon Hall. Each individual will
the parties in the debate of one of the three issues chosen by the student body, faculty and staff by vote
represent ^ terrorism, same-sex marriage and the economy. The debate will be
in Septemw ^ ^ discussion, hosted by the SGA.
Laura Hals I
Photographer
More than 160 par
ticipants attended
the first Debate
Watch held by the
National Campaign
last Thursday.
Students such as
Jonathan Chapman,
right, facilitated dis
cussion among
about 145 of those
160 students follow
ing the debate.
War / terrorism
Same-sex marriage
Economy
Captain
Republican
Jonathon Chuk
Jamie Falkenbury
Luke Wake
Katelyn Ealer
Democrat
Zack Lauritzen
Adam Smith
Kathleen Niple
Natasha Christensen
Independent
Matt Gendle
Martin Fowler
Stevan Miller
Ian Hull