Election-eve excitement draws students to local rally
More than 50 percent of the voters registered at the the Skidmore election district (Saratoga Springs 24) cast ballots in Tuesday's election, according to poll officials. There are currently 535 students registered to vote at Skidmore; 313 cast ballots Tuesday.
That number does not include several dozen students who attempted to vote on campus, but were turned away because of such things as address changes. Activity at the Case Center polling site was steady throughout the day, said poll officials.
Skidmore is often a focus of pre-election activity, and this year was no exception. Election-eve excitement sparked the appearance of nearly 100 students at a Nov. 1 rally featuring former President Bill Clinton.
Signs on Case Green remind students to cast votes on Tuesday (Orli Handmaker '13 photo) .
The event, held at the Hall of Springs in Saratoga Spa State Park, was designed to promote local, regional, and statewide candidates running on the Democratic Party line. Those joining the former president on stage at the gathering included first-term Congressman Scott Murphy and U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand. Reports in local news outlets placed rally attendance at about 1,500 people.
Skidmore's Student Government Association filled a bus with enthusiastic students and the Skidmore Democrats, a student club, helped spread news about the event and obtained a block of tickets for students wishing to attend. The rally started at about 7 a.m.; many students arrived before 6 a.m. to position themselves front and center before the speakers.
Rep. Murphy's staff members had approached Skidmore officials last week about hosting
the rally, but the College's policy on political activity was a sticking point.
"We would have liked to give our students and faculty the opportunity to hear from
a former president," said Michael Casey, vice president for advancement. "However,
political rallies are prohibited by our policy on political activity, which, aimed
at ensuring that the College maintains an impartial political posture, bars the use
of college facilities for any event at which political funds or endorsements are solicited.
"Our policy allows us to host political figures in gatherings that are chiefly educational
in nature, and we told Rep. Murphy's staff that we would be delighted to provide Mr.
Clinton such a forum. That would have been a substantial departure from the rally
they planned, and we understand their decision to find a different venue. We're pleased
that the Congressman's staff considered Skidmore for this event, and we appreciate
their understanding of our concerns."
Neither the location nor the early start time barred the student political die-hards from attending. Alex Stark '11, SGA president, called the rally "inspirational." She said, "You don't often see so many current and former government representatives at the same time, speaking with excitement and passion."
Skidmore Democrats Amy Bergstrasser
and Mary Rynasko wait to hear former
President Clinton on Nov. 1
Skidmore Democrats President Amy Bergstrasser '11 said that she's a "huge fan" of Clinton, and cited his balanced budget and work on the international stage as keys to his enduring popularity.
Both Stark and Bergstrasser have encouraged fellow students to cast their ballots on election day, Nov. 2. Said Stark, "There have been a events on campus, including a visit a few weeks ago from Rep. Murphy to Case Center. There was a lot of buzz around the Clinton event. The information seemed to bring the issue about the importance of mid-terms closer to home.
"Students who are not registered to vote on campus have been urged to cast absentee ballots. I think what's important is that students realize the significance of the mid-term elections," said Stark, a government major who hails from Queens.
In previous years, Skidmore students with varying political philosophies have typically
incorporated election season into their programming, hosting voter-registration drives,
guest speakers, and information tables on key issues. This year, the Skidmore Democrats
have been the most active of the student political clubs.
For Bergstrasser, today's election will be the last time she'll vote at the campus
poll. "I've been registered to vote at Skidmore since my freshman year," she explained.
She said that the most exciting election was in 2008, when Barack Obama was elected
president. She acknowledged, "This year is not quite the same." But she is proud of
her club's work on the 2010 election: "In addition helping students of all ideologies register to vote, we have canvassed,
participated in phone banks, and put up posters to inform students about campaign
issues and where and how to vote," she reported.
She added, "I believe that voting is a privilege that our democracy gives us, and Skidmore is fortunate to have a voting both right on campus in Case Center."