By: Janiyah Gaston
Registered Student Organizations (RSOs) are places where students can go and connect with people who are interested in the same things they are. There are RSOs for everything from creative writing, water skiing and even politics. RSOs like College Democrats and Turning Point USA had a lot to say about the upcoming election.
Emma McConnell, a third-year student and president of the SIU chapter of College Democrats said her RSO focuses a lot on campaigning and other activities related to campaigning.
“So, we're involved with Kamala Harris's campaign. We've got all her different phone banks coming to our email last night, a couple of us watched the debate, and were in the Harris there's like a group chat for students for Harris Walz, and you can make memes and help campaign, kind of together virtually,” McConnell said.
She said in addition to those activities they are also looking to host a voter registration fair.
McConnell said when watching the presidential debate, it was very exciting, and she felt Kamala Harris did a good job. She does wish that Harris would have touched on a few more topics.
“She didn't talk about LGBTQ rights, although I know her positions on that. It would have been better if I had heard her explain some of the ways she could defend transgender people around the country,” she said. I would have liked her to explain her immigration policy, just because I know that's a lot of people's issue with putting her forth in this election.”
Zachary Lochard, president of Turning Point USA said when it came to the presidential debate, he said it felt one-sided when it came to fact-checking and cut off times.
“Kamala Harris was not as fact checked, if at all, in comparison to what Trump was and there were times in the debate when some of the moderators were talking to Trump one on one, and Kamala Harris was not even in the room,” he said.
Lochard said with the regarding Project 2025 Trump has addressed multiple times he is not affiliated with it.
“He said he has no connection to project 2025. Project 2025 came out and said that he's not affiliated with us. This was our own super PAC, our own organization that drew up this. [...] So when he disavowed Project 2025 being his or even remotely connected to him, I think people should take that at face value,” he said.
Overall, Lochard thinks this election is important because we can go back and reference in real time about how well the current administration is doing and see if the presidential candidates have a plan to improve it.
“It's one for the history books. It is one for the history books. [...] A lot of people are equating that they were happier under the Trump administration [and] [...] a lot of people are unhappy with a current Biden Harris administration [...] We actually have a chance to go back to the before,” he said.
He said younger people should go out and vote because their votes make a big difference.
“I encourage all people our age to at least vote and if you don't like the current candidates vote for a third party, but it is important that you get out and vote. It's your civic duty and responsibility. And for the most part pay attention. Your vote matters,” Lochard said.
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