Students don’t mind getting early start on election
Jason Hawk | The Chronicle-Telegram
SHEFFIELD TWP. — They came with book bags, homework, guitars, pizza and Frisbees.
“It’s starting to look a lot like our quad,” said 20-year-old Oberlin College sophomore Luke Squire.
In a solid line around the block, about 700 students camped out for six hours on North Ridge Road, waiting to squeeze into the overcrowded county Board of Elections office to vote.
Squire was one of the organizers of a non-partisan coalition that arranged for seven charter buses to shuttle students from Oberlin to the early voting center.
He said the coalition had signed up an estimated 2,000 students to vote by Monday’s registration deadline.
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| CHUCK HUMEL / CHRONICLE |
| Phillip Smith, 21, a senior studying classical guitar at Oberlin College, left, and Zach Diamond, 21, a junior with a double major in chemistry and music, help make waiting in line to cast their ballots Thursday a more festive occasion. |
About 300 already had cast ballots by Wednesday, but a huge number were able to spend the day in line Thursday because they had the day off from classes for Yom Kippur, Squire said. Another 200 or so students are expected to vote today and Saturday.
The buses rolled in a little after noon, and the small patch of grass in front of the board office’s doorway soon took on a carnival atmosphere as students broke out video games, music and food.
Senior Colin Coffel, 22, paid for 45 pizzas to be delivered to everyone in line, and promised there were no political strings attached to his generosity.
He said he was around in 2004 to witness the problems with eight-hour waits at Oberlin polling stations and wanted to make this year’s wait easier on fellow students. Coffel also said he wants to find ways to streamline the voting process.
“We want to make sure we’re not holding up the lines for the people in the community who have to work and can’t afford to wait eight hours in a line,” he said. “We sacrificed a day off to come here and wait.
Their sacrifice is a lot greater than ours, so we’re happy to do what we can to help them.”
If anyone was making a sacrifice, it was 20-year-old junior Yvonne Lin.
Perched on crutches, Lin was nursing a broken foot as she stood for three and a half hours waiting her turn.
“I want to be here. This is a key election for the entire world,” she said. “It’s worth it for Obama.”
It was no secret that most of the Oberlin College crowd backed the Illinois senator-turned-Democratic nominee. But for many, their votes were decided by issues, not personalities.
Freshman Jeremy Siegel, 18, said he stood in line for more than three hours so he could have a say in fixing the economy.
“We’re at an economic crossroads. The next few months are going to determine whether we prosper or sink even deeper into trouble,” he said. “That’s why I’m out here to vote.”
Conor Shanahan, a 20-year-old junior, was also waiting his chance to weigh in on the economy.
He was the last person in a line that stretched an entire block.
“The reason I came out today is because I thought I’d be saving time on Election Day,” he said. “I think it’s worth it. It’s easier to sit out here in the grass than to go to Iraq and spend a couple of years fighting.”
For one student, the day ended in a big disappointment.
After waiting four hours for her chance to vote, sophomore Elaine Sylvester, 19, was turned away. She said her Lorain County voter registration was mailed too late and didn’t make Monday’s deadline.
“I’m not mad. I’m just tired,” she said.
Sylvester said she plans to vote now in Virginia, where she’s also registered.
Early voting is open to all registered voters through Nov. 4 at the county Board of Elections office. Voting hours are 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Monday to Friday and 9 a.m. to noon Saturday.
Contact Jason Hawk at 329-7148 or jhawk@chroniclet.com.
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Filed by Jason Hawk | The Chronicle-Telegram October 10th, 2008 in Top Stories. Popularity: 2% |
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Comments
Comment from
WaynRahuu
October 10, 2008, 7:40 am
Out of state students who don’t live here trying to decide our fate and leaders. One couldn’t vote here because she mailed her registraton late, but the question is: Is she now a registered voter in Ohio? If so how can she be a registered voter in VA.
Comment from
THHiggie
October 10, 2008, 2:19 pm
I am glad to see youngsters becoming involved in the political process, but I still question the wisdom of allowing transient college students to vote in local elections and possibly help raise permanent residents’ taxes when they will not have to directly pay those taxes themselves. That smacks of representation without taxation. Of course, we all know how the vast majority of the students will vote after being brainwashed by their ultra-liberal college professors, don’t we?
Comment from
Lovinglife4me
October 10, 2008, 3:23 pm
I also agree it’s dead wrong to allow transient students to vote in local elections. I think they should vote where they’re from. Let them raise their parents taxes.
Comment from
Sarcasm101
October 10, 2008, 5:54 pm
Don’t worry, half of these students will never pay taxes. After getting a $120,000 PLUS education, many of them will become destitute, “starving artists” or move out of this country because it is so “lame” compared to some other exotic locale.
While I don’t necessarily agree with the transient voting, I’m more concerned with people voting more than once.
Why is it so hard to have a national ID. Have ALL citizens get a USA ID card for instances such as this, VOTING. Also it would be a proof of citzenship card. It should be free too!
Oh wait…the ULTRA Liberal folks from Oberlin say that idea is “Draconian, racist, oppressive and communist like”
Why? Because we require “ID” from someone to vote. If you’re a citizen whats the bg deal? The card would be free…so its not a “poll tax” But alas in some strange way it would “further the system of oppression in place that keeps the black man down”
I get it now…let anyone vote, wherever, whenever because THAT is the American way.
Freedom!
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