Photo gallery: Election Day ’08
UW-Green Bay students came out in record numbers to vote this Election Day (Nov. 4).
Preliminary ballot totals show about 1,312 UW-Green Bay students who live on campus voted at the polling location in the University Union’s Alumni Room. That’s about 65 percent of the student population that lives on campus.
“It’s awesome,” said Robert Guise, campus organizer for the Wisconsin Student Public Interest Research Group, a non-partisan group that led voter drives on campus. “It shows that students are out supporting the democratic process. The fact that they’re waiting in lines is really a testament to them.”
Students Tuesday lined up outside the Alumni Room and, at times, well into the Cloud Commons, waiting to cast their vote for the country’s 44th president. After they did, many proudly sported “I Voted” stickers (photo above).
“I wasn’t planning to vote, but so many people encouraged me to,” said Gabrielle Engel, a freshman from Appleton who was voting for the first time. “It’s pretty exciting. I felt like it’s my job to be here. Everyone in my family is voting. My friends are. It’s just exciting.”
Voter registration drives started weeks before Election Day, with WISPIRG, the UW-Green Bay Student Government Association and both the College Republicans and College Democrats helping to get the word out. A big “get out the vote” push started late last week.
“The change this year has been the collaboration between the organizations,” said Brenda Amenson-Hill, assistant dean for campus life. “It’s much more organized. The organizations were working together for awareness.”
Jamie Froh, SGA University Governance Committee chairwoman, was proud of how many students came out and voted.
“We want to make a statement and show the world we can make a difference,” she said. “Wisconsin had been a swing state. With higher student voter turnout, we can sway our region and sway our state as to which way it goes.”
How they voted
Straight Party
Democrat 269
Republican 186
President
√ Barack Obama (D) 876
John McCain (R) 412
US Congress (District 8 )
√ Steve Kagen (D) 700
John Gard (R) 449
State Senate (District 30)
√ Dave Hansen (D) 691
Chad Fradette (R) 350
State Assembly (District 88)
√ Jim Soletski (D) 684
Tony Theisen (R) 364
County Clerk
Karen Beno (D) 585
√ Darlene Marcelle (R) 389
(NOTE: √ by overall election winner)
Click thumbnail images to enter slideshow.
Photos by
Mike Heine
University Communications
