On-campus parties prepare Students for election day

A busy table full of information and candy attracted students to Spartans Vote 2008 seven in locations around campus Thursday.

The program, aimed at informing MSU voters prior to Election Day, was put on by a student-led coalition, along with staff from the Roosevelt Institution.

The groups participating in the event were the James Madison College Student Senate, the Roosevelt Institution, MSU Democrats, the Muslim Students Association, and the American Civil Liberties Union.

MSU College Republicans did not assist with or participate in this event.

Stations were set up at locations including the Union, Case Hall, Wells Hall, the Brody Complex and the Communication Arts and Sciences Building. Attendees received information on many aspects of voting throughout the event.

“I came for (free) stamps for my absentee ballot,” said international relations junior Brian Bartle. “This has been very helpful for voting.”

Grant Rumley, director of communications for the MSU chapter of the Roosevelt Institution, said he and the other group members wanted to encourage student engagement and ownership of their community and country.

“These stations included information regarding polling places and what is needed to vote, instructions on where to send your ballots, stamps, raffles and some candy,” he said.

Rumley said the parties will coincide with the national “get out the vote” campaign and will show some of MSU’s prominent student activists.

Mark Allen, a political theory and constitutional democracy and English senior and the president of the MSU ACLU, also was at one of the parties handing out information on voter rights.

“I have been pulling up (voting Web) sites for students and helping with questions,” he said.

Rumley said the event was a success and believes students understand the importance of voting next week.