Posters and signs have popped up across campus ahead of Election Day. // Photo Courtesy of Nicholas Cuda
This semester, students at Hofstra have the opportunity to witness a remarkable election year. In an attempt to inform students on the importance of voting, Hofstra Votes hosted a series of lectures devoted to educating students on important political topics.
Sept. 17 was voter registration day which reminds U.S. citizens to register to vote or request an absentee ballot. Hofstra Votes is a campaign from Hofstra University structured to motivate students to vote on campus and inform them on the issues affecting themselves and their country. Posters can be found around campus advertising hosted events or website links to registration. Their goal is to provide students with access to the resources to register to vote or check if they’re already registered to vote.
Some Hofstra students are already registered to vote. Katie Baxter, a senior film production major, registered to vote through the help of Hofstra Votes. Baxter is looking for a candidate “who’s respectful of human rights” and is ethically professional.
Ethical professionalism from both presidential candidates has been a concern for many voters this election regarding to the truthful accuracy from both candidates. Many news outlets fact checked the presidential debate between Former President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump and Vice President and Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris, finding there to be false evidence said on both sides.
Mohammad Ariann, a sophomore business management major, also registered to vote with the aid of Hofstra Votes. Ariann is looking for a candidate that can address and improve the United States’ economy and inflation.
“I want that one-dollar cheeseburger back,” Ariann said.
Sophomore geographic information systems major, Aidan Kaplan, is a commuter student who is registered to vote locally. He’s looking for a political candidate that has a strong focus on climate change.
These issues are just some of the many issues that registered voters are concerned with regarding the 2024 presidential election.
On Sept. 10, Hofstra University hosted its annual coverage of the Presidential debate covered by the Lawrence Herbert School of Communication (LHSC). During the debate, students had the opportunity to listen and watch the two candidates Harris and Trump debate one another.
The room was filled with anticipation as students watched both candidates attempt to give their plan for their new regime in office while having political banter for the rest of the evening.
On Tuesday, Oct. 1, Hofstra Votes provided viewing access for the vice-presidential debate. Like the Presidential debate, it started with a panel hosted by Hofstra University professors and deans. Joining the panel was Craig Burnett, a political science professor, Mark Lukasiewicz, dean of the Lawrence Herbert School of Communication, Rosanna Perotti, a professor of political science and Tomeka Robinson, professor of rhetoric and public advocacy.
The panelists spoke about the history behind presidential debates and how they formerly were always aired in a non-biased point of view for a full first hour. Historically, once the debates have ended, the coverage would be handed off to individual political channels with their ownpolitical viewpoints and commentary on the issues addressed during the debate.
At an open forum meeting for Nassau County District 18, Danielle Smikle, a political candidate for the New York State Assembly, spoke about the importance of the younger generation and how we can get more students to vote. She emphasized the importance of voting by reminding younger generations know “its cool to vote” and can help “taking the power into your own hands.”
For more information on panel discussions or voter registration, please visit https://www.hofstra.edu/votes.
