The Wisconsin Union Directorate welcomed members of campus and Madison community members to Memorial Union Tuesday for their “We Want You” voting forum.
The event, co-hosted by the Political Science Student Association and the Big Ten Voting Challenge, consisted of discussions regarding key issues surrounding voting history, patterns and registration, both in Wisconsin and nationally.
The panelists included a variety of experts on voting. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Washington Bureau Chief Craig Gilbert, Elections Research Center Director Barry Burden and UW-Madison Political Science Chair John Zumbrunnen fielded questions pertaining to the state of voting and voter registration.
A frequent topic of conversation was the importance of voting in elections.
“[Politicians] decide what voices to listen to and that drives their behavior. They are attentive to who shows up,” Burden said.
He emphasized the close nature of Wisconsin elections by stating that past presidential elections have been decided by the population of “a couple of apartment buildings.” Gilbert added to this sentiment by referencing multiple presidential elections in the past few years, including the 2000 race between Al Gore and George Bush.
Another key topic was the collective political opinion of students on campus. Zumbrunnen shared his experiences talking to students from across the political spectrum.
“The students I talk to, whether on the left or right, seem to show a growing disenchantment with the political system,” Zumbrunnen said.
He said conservative students he have talked to view this issue more ideologically — they are generally more distrustful of government, while students on the left “tend to see the path toward the social change they want to make.”
Big Ten Voting Challenge intern and PSSA President Anna Barry shared her thoughts on the importance of student voters.
“The biggest benefit [as a student voter] is doing your civic duty,” Barry said. “Men and women have fought and died for your right to vote. To honor them and vote how you want your democracy to vote is amazing, and we have a privilege, a right, to do.”
