Kerry supporters
exceed volunteer
recruitment goal
The student-run campus campaign now turns its
efforts on a voter drive at the University
BY WvBt BKADLtY
NEWS FREELANCE EDITOR
Standing at the John Kerry for
President table in the lobby of the
EMU, economics major Mike
Barnard does a last-minute check to
make sure he brought all the
flyers he’ll need for the two-day vol
unteer registration drive that is
about to kick off.
“Help is on the way,” he says qui
etly, as he leaves to assume his post.
“Help is on the way!” responds
Vote Blitzing team manager Matthew
Strickland with a clap.
Oregon Students for Kerry, to
gether with the College Democrats,
registered 612 University students to
volunteer with the
Carry Oregon cam
paign during a drive
on Thursday and Fri
day.
“That is unprecedent
ed in campaign history
at the U of O or any
place,” said Michelle
Dixon, student outreach
FOR MORE
INFORMATIO
ON
*
To volunteer with Oregon
Students for Kerry, visit
www.OregonStudentsforKerry.com
To volunteer with UO Students
for Bush, visit
www.GeorgeWBush.com/Students
uu luui iui 11 iv_ v>cii i y
Oregon campaign, which is supported
by the Democratic Party of Oregon.
With thousands of potential voters
on campus, using student volunteers
to mobilize the vote is a central
r
strategy tor Doth campaigns.
“Oregon is a battleground state,”
said Tlicker Bounds, Oregon commu
nications director for the Bush/Ch
eney campaign. “Governor Bush lost
to Vice President Gore in 2000 by just
under 6,800 votes.”
Both campaigns have speculated
that a well-organized student cam
paign could sway the election.
“Students can make the difference;
students will make the difference,”
Strickland said. “If we get out and vote,
politicians will listen to our issues.”
Strickland, a political science ma
jor, said he has noticed increased stu
dent involvement in politics.
“I think you’re going to see that
voune neonle are involved in this ram
paign,” Strickland said
just before the volunteer
registration drive began. “I
think you’re going to see
that young people want
their voices heard.”
The figures seem to
validate his prediction.
The number of volun
teers recruited last week
exeeeueu me guai ui duo
by more than 20 percent.
“What we’re looking for in an av
erage volunteer is 10 to 20 hours a
week for the next five weeks,”
Strickland said. “Five weeks to
Danielle Hickey | Photo Editor
John Kerry campaign volunteers Blythe Daniels and Matthew Strickland promote the Democratic Party to freshman Langston Kriel
in the EMU on Thursday.
change the next four years.”
Strickland said the volunteers have
served with enthusiasm.
“They feel empowered — that they
have a voice in our country,” he said.
Besides traditional campaign
methods such as holding signs and
handing out flyers, Carry Oregon
volunteers are encouraged to talk
up John Kerry with friends and
fellow students.
“Thily the student campaign is to
get students to talk to their friends and
talk to their peers about why this is so
important and get them engaged,”
Dixon said. “The focus on student-to
student contact is really a priority."
This strategy makes campaign vol
unteerism accessible to a wide range of
students, according to Dixon.
“There is no typical volunteer,”
Dixon said. “They are students from
all walks of life.”
Though the Republican effort
on campus has been more under
stated so far, 535 University
students have registered to volun
teer as Students for Bush on the
Bush campaign’s Web site. Howev
er, UO Students for Bush coordina
tor Jarrett White estimates that
only 20 volunteers have been active
VOLUNTEER, page 14
Volunteers Wanted!
Duck Preview is a visitation day for high school seniors who are
interested in the University of Oregon. Its success depends on
volunteer support from you... current UO students!
Duck Preview 2004
Sunday, November 7
Volunteering at Duck Preview is a great way to:
■ get involved on campus;
■ meet other students;
■ get better acquainted with the university;
■ help prospective students;
• share your Duck experiences with visitors.
There will be two training sessions to choose from:
Tuesday, October 26
at 5:30pm in 360 Oregon Hall
OR
Wednesday, October 27
at 5:30pm in 360 Oregon Hall
Contact the Ambassador Program by phone at 346-1274 or by e-mail at
ambass@darkwing.uoregon.edu