Oregon daily emerald., April 16, 2004, Page 5, Image 5

VOTER BREAKDOWN
PRIMARY ELECTION
2004 14.05%
2003 15.22 56
2002 15.3%
2001 9%
2000 12.3%
GENERAL ELECTION
2004 -
2003 14.3%
2002 10.5 %
2001 9%
2000 * not available
results unavailable due to unreported data
SOURCE: Emerald archives
ELECTION
continued from page 1
focused on networking with people
he already knew and having them
spread information by word-of
mouth.
"I hate it when I'm walking to
class and somebody hands me a fli
er," he said. "I don't want to be in
anyone's face."
Other candidates say they have
found the flier method effective and
that students have been eager to hear
about campus issues.
Executive candidate Adam Petkun,
who was the front-runner in the pri
mary and made it to the general elec
tion, said he's tried to talk to as many
* people as possible and inform them
^ of his platform.
"The more people we talk to face
to-face, the better off we'll be," he said.
"The downside, of course, is that you
can only talk to so many people."
Freshman chemistry major Noah
Van Horn said he was handed his first
candidate flier Wednesday, and it en
couraged him to seek more informa
tion about the elections.
"At least it gets the message out
there," he said.
Senior international studies major
Danielle Chiacco agreed that getting
out and talking to students is a good
way to increase student interest, but
only if candidates are explaining their
platforms, not just prodding students
to vote for them.
"Anybody can interact and put on a
show," she said, adding that unless the
candidates are talking about the issues,
students are likely to ignore them.
She said she feels one main cause
of voter apathy is that many students
don't feel like their voices matter in
the governmental process.
"I feel like there's just this lack of
connection," she said.
Other schools face similar chal
lenges of getting students involved de
spite attempts from candidates to in
crease interest.
Oregon State University, which has
about 19,000 students, saw a voter
turnout between 6 and 8 percent in
last year's general election, said Amber
Bonte, spokeswoman for the Associ
ated Students of Oregon State Univer
sity. She added that most of those stu
dents are likely the only ones who
vote on a regular basis.
"The hard thing is reaching out to
those students who have never voted
before," she said.
ASOSU Vice President Danielle
Cox said candidates for OSU's student
government apply campaigning
methods similar to those at the Uni
versity such as posting signs, advertis
ing in the campus newspaper and
reaching out to student groups, al
though few stand outside the school's
memorial union catching students on
their way to class.
"Basically it's more about the name
that the/re going to recognize when
they get to the polls," she said. "We're
just trying to do whatever we can."
Portland State University saw similar
voter turnout in their student govern
ment elections, which ended last week,
with about 8 percent of students voting.
PSU has about 23,000 students.
Associated Students of Portland State
University President Amara Marino
said although the number was not as
high as she had hoped, turnout is in
creasing every year, with 5 to 6 percent
of students voting last year.
She said the candidates at her school
work together to encourage students to
vote, and many use typical campaign
ing methods such as fliers, mass e-mail
ing and entertainment attractions.
"It's becoming a bigger deal on
campus," she said. "It's a sign that the
student population is changing on
campus."
Contact the higher education/student
life/student affairs reporter at
chelseaduncan@dailyemerald.com.
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