An Election Reaches St. Lawrence

While much of St. Lawrence has already begun hibernation beneath scarlet and brown scarves, many of us are active as ever anticipating tomorrow’s election. Political clubs are caroling, professors are throwing out last gumdrops of advice and a fleet of vans is as ready as reindeer to bring students downtown to choose New York’s delegates for president.

A presidential election is like Christmas for the government department and majors like me, so excuse the holiday imagery. But even nestled in the far woods of the North Country, election fever has pulsed through St. Lawrence since August, and our campus has never been so busy preparing. Here’s a sampling of what we’ve been up to before the election:

• Debate viewing-parties, held in the Winston Room and at Pub 56 on campus, have sparked  debate among students and ended only a few friendships
• Voter registration available for newbies and New York State converts through the month of October in the Student Center
• SLU Democrats, SLU Republicans, SLU Libertarians and other less-partisan groups set up tables during lunch in the Student Center, fielding questions and stealing each other’s campaign signs and flyers
• A 50/50 raffle for faculty and students to guess the electoral college results and win some Sergi’s pizza money in the process
• “Election 101” seminar last weekend featured short lectures from professors on state, local and presidential election topics of interest
•  SLU Republicans fought for the win at a tri-party student debate, coming out on top in all topics but women’s rights
•  Philosophy club weekly talks on the metaphysical side of elections and democracy
•  Shuttle busses from our Bookstore to polling stations downtown tomorrow driven by students in an Elections course seeking extra-credit points for civic engagement
•  And, of course, a festive-going-on-rowdy election night viewing party planned in the Student Center tomorrow night to rival the event I attended as a wide-eyed First-Year four short years ago!

It makes me glad my school and classmates are so engaged in politics, as my demographic and young people in general are sadly under-represented at the polls. Not all my friends will vote, and my parents still roll their eyes at my excitement, but St. Lawrence has given me the tools to unravel an election in terms of what the results mean for me—and, maybe more realistically, what they won’t mean. May the best candidate win!