The Democratic gubernatorial candidate Creigh Deeds will make his first visit to VCU Thursday morning, he is scheduled to meet and greet students at Crossroads Coffee and Ice Cream as well as on the Monroe Park campus.
Deeds according to Don Mark, the political director of the Democratic party of Virginia, Deeds’ main objective is to talk with students about his plans for educational opportunities in the future.
“Student voters have been a huge part of Democratic success,” Mark said.
According to Young Democrat President Jonathan Ward, the Young Democrats have been publicizing the election through fliers and handouts, posters on billboards, social networking Web sites such as Facebook, and word of mouth in addition to registering students to vote and providing absentee ballot applications.
The Young Democrats work with the Virginia Democratic Party Coordinated Campaign and the Deeds campaign to organize the meet and greet events and rallies, Ward said.
“It is turning into kind of a tradition to have these rallies right before election day,” Ward said. “To develop that student enthusiasm to go out to the polls.”
Deeds’ campaigning a week before the election might be enough to rally student enthusiasm according to Ward.
The Republican gubernatorial candidate Bob McDonnell will be campaigning in and out of the commonwealth during the last five days of his “New Jobs, More Opportunities: It Starts Now!” statewide tour, According to the McDonnell campaign Web site.
Visitation to VCU made by the McDonnell campaign was back in September when political author S.E. Cupp and Cailin McDonnell, daughter of McDonnell, spoke at VCU. Cupp also held a book signing.
Both candidates have had some presence at the university, but Ward said there might be a low voter turn out regardless of campaign efforts.
“There is a lower participation amongst all groups,” Ward said. “It is not just students. It is to be expected but I think overall students are still excited about this race even though it is not a presidential race.”
Crossroads Coffee and Ice Cream shop owner Jeff Kroll said he thinks it is important for candidates to get face time with student voters, who are at the forefront of getting out of the economic recession.
“(Students) are seeing things that are affecting them now,” Kroll said. “Or (they) are seeing things that will affect them in two years but they are thinking long-term with all the big plans that are out there like bringing back the economy, bringing back the strength of the American worker and health care.”