Posts – Page 17 – Mason Votes

Pence and Harris Face Off in Salt Lake City

By: Jayla Brown, Mason Votes 2020 Online Editorial Team

With only 27 days left until the 2020 Presidential Election, the debates are dominating the conversation and tension is high for tonight’s vice presidential face off in Salt Lake City, Utah.

On Wednesday, October 7, 2020, at 9 p.m. EST Vice President Mike Pence and Senator Kamala Harris will be going head to head on a range of issues central to the choice facing voters in 2020.

According to The Commission on Presidential Debates (CPD), the vice presidential debate will continue as scheduled, despite many in the White House testing positive for COVID-19 over the weekend (including both President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump, Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany, advisor Stephen Miller, and others).

Both Vice President Mike Pence and Senator Kamala Harris have tested negative for COVID-19 and protocols are in place to ensure the safety of those in attendance, including plexiglass shields and a 12-foot distance between the candidates.

Tonight’s VP debate will be held at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, Utah in front of a small crowd. An estimated 150-200 people will be attending this event.

On September 2, The CPD announced that the Susan Page, the Washington Bureau Chief for USA Today, will be moderating the debate. This will be her first time hosting this event.

The debate will span 90 minutes with no commercial breaks. Nine topics will be covered, each topic being allocated ten minutes. Page will ask an opening question and each candidate will then have two minutes to respond. The remaining time in the segment will be used to further discussion on the topic.

After the first presidential debate, the CPD will be implementing changes in debate format for a ‘more orderly discussion.’

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Ways to Watch:

Watch with others in the Corner Pocket on Mason’s Fairfax campus from 9 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.

Those watching from home can tune into any of the major networks to watch tonight’s live debate coverage, including ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX, CNN, MSNBC, FOX News, PBS, and C-SPAN.

Stream the debates from home (check with your cable provider or find a free live stream from all major networks) and get caught up on past debates via YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLU12uITxBEPFAvcROsHJwIopn-Q-FMTSp

First 2020 Presidential Debate is Tuesday 9/29!

The first 2020 Presidential Debate is happening Tuesday, September 29th at 9pm.

Join Mason Votes for an in-person Debate Watch Party at the Corner Pocket in The Hub (Fairfax Campus)!

Click here for event info.

Debate #1: Tuesday, September 29, 2020 @ 9pm

Debate Location: Cleveland, OH (hosted by Case Western Reserve University and Cleveland Clinic)

Debate Moderator: Chris Wallace (FOX News)

First Presidential Debate Format:

The debate will be divided into six segments of approximately 15 minutes each on major topics to be selected by the moderator and announced at least one week before the debate.

The moderator will open each segment with a question, after which each candidate will have two minutes to respond. Candidates will then have an opportunity to respond to each other. The moderator will use the balance of the time in the segment for a deeper discussion of the topic.

All debates will be moderated by a single individual and will run from 9:00-10:30 p.m. Eastern Time without commercial breaks. As always, the moderators alone will select the questions to be asked, which are not known to the CPD or to the candidates. The moderators will have the ability both to extend the segments and to ensure that the candidates have equal speaking time. While the focus will properly be on the candidates, the moderator will regulate the conversation so that thoughtful and substantive exchanges occur.

(format announced on June 23, 2020)

Learn more about The Commission on Presidential Debates (CPD): www.debates.org/about-cpd

Happy Constitution Day 2020!

On September 17, 1787, the delegates to the Constitutional Convention met for the last time to sign the document they had created.

Today, we celebrate this achievement and reflect on what the United States Constitution means to each of us.

To help the Mason community observe Constitution Day 2020, Student Media has put together a resource page with links to learn more about America’s founding documents, test your knowledge about the Constitution and the First Amendment, and more!

Constitution Day Resource Page: studentmedia.gmu.edu/constitutionday

Video: What Does “We the People” Mean to Mason Students & Staff?

Click on the video below to hear their responses:

How to Vote During a Pandemic

Do Your Part: How to Become a Poll Worker in 2020

One way to do your part to make sure that the 2020 election goes as smoothly as possible is to become a poll worker.

A well-staffed polling place is less likely to experience long lines on Election Day, helping more people vote by reducing barriers to participation. Research from past elections indicates that long lines at the polls tend to impact lower-income and minority voters the most, as well those who live in areas with a high population density. One 2017 study found that “in predominantly minority communities, the lines are about twice as long as in predominantly white ones.”

With COVID-19 continuing to wreak havoc on communities across the country, local election officials are eager to recruit young poll workers after experiencing a drop-off in participation among older election volunteers during recent primaries. High school and college students who don’t fall into the high-risk categories for COVID-19 (elderly Americans and those with preexisting conditions) are being actively recruited by groups like Power to the Polls and the Poll Hero Project to “step up and serve their country” this November.

Volunteers are always welcome, but many poll workers are paid for their time (including in Fairfax County).

According to Fairfax County’s website: “Fairfax County is the largest jurisdiction in Virginia with 243 precincts countywide. It takes thousands of enthusiastic and trained election officers to help ensure that we have efficient and well-run elections. Election officers are paid $175 for working a full Election Day. Election officers must work at least one general election before being considered for an assistant chief election officer ($225) or chief election officer ($250).”

Learn how to become an election officer in Fairfax County: fairfaxcounty.gov/elections/officers/new-officers

Search by state to learn more about becoming a poll worker in your community: eac.gov/help-america-vote

National Voter Registration Day 2020

#NationalVoterRegistrationDay is Tuesday, September 22, 2020!

Are you registered?

Tuesday, October 13, 2020 is the deadline to register to vote or update an existing registration. Learn more: elections.virginia.gov/registration

There’s no time like NOW to make sure you are registered to vote or to update your voter registration with your current address. Visit vote.gov to find out how.

“Every year millions of Americans find themselves unable to vote because they miss a registration deadline, don’t update their registration, or aren’t sure how to register. National Voter Registration Day wants to make sure everyone has the opportunity to vote.”

Virginia residents can learn more and register via elections.virginia.gov/registration

Non-Virginia residents can find guidelines for their state via usa.gov/election-office

2020 qualifications for voter registration in Virginia: US Citizen, resident of Virginia, and 18 years old on or before November 3, 2020 (born on or before November 3, 2002).

More info about #NVRD from nationalvoterregistrationday.org: National Voter Registration Day is a national holiday celebrating our democracy. It was first observed in 2012 and has been growing in popularity every year since. Held on the fourth Tuesday of September, National Voter Registration Day will take place on September 22, 2020. The holiday has been endorsed by the National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS). It is further supported by the National Association of State Election Directors (NASED), the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC), and the National Association of Election Officials (The Election Center).

#MasonVotes #VOTE #NationalVoterRegistrationDay #Election2020

2020 Absentee and Early Voting Information

With less than 100 days until Election Day 2020 (Tuesday, November 3rd), it’s time to start thinking about how and when you plan to vote.

The Virginia Department of Elections recently released information about how to vote absentee by mail and how to vote early in-person: www.elections.virginia.gov/casting-a-ballot/absentee-voting

A few highlights:

You can vote early at your local registrar’s office beginning 45 days before Election Day and ending the Saturday before Election Day.
You do not have to have a reason or fill out an application to vote early.
Accessible equipment and/or curbside voting is available upon request.
You can register to vote, check your registration status, find your polling place, and more using the Citizen Portal (www.elections.virginia.gov/citizen-portal).
You can apply to vote absentee online or by mail, fax, or email: vote.elections.virginia.gov/VoterInformation
You may request to vote emergency absentee at any time prior to 2:00 pm on the day preceding the election if you or your spouse, child, or parent experience hospitalization or illness (Va. Code § 24.2-705).

Click here for more voter information from the Virginia Department of Elections

National Census Day is April 1, 2020

Wednesday, April 1, 2020 is National Census Day! While we all #StayAtHome and practice social distancing to combat Coronavirus, consider taking a few minutes to complete your 2020 Census forms.

The United States Census Bureau is asking all Americans to “help shape your future, and your community’s future, by responding to the 2020 Census.” Visit my2020census.gov to begin.

According to their website: “The 2020 Census will ask a few simple questions about you and everyone who is or will be living with you on April 1, 2020. For the first time, you can choose to complete the census online, by phone, or by mail.” Click here to learn more about ways to respond.

The 2020 Census will determine congressional representation, inform hundreds of billions in federal funding every year, and provide data that will impact communities for the next decade.

Click here to learn more about how Census data is used to help you and your community.

This vitally important, once-a-decade count includes all college and university students! Student who normally live at school should be counted at school, even if you are living somewhere else due to COVID-19 disruptions. If you live in on-campus housing your institution may already have you covered, but if you live off-campus you should receive a 2020 Census form in the mail.

Check out this video from the Census Bureau with official guidance for students:

Mason Libraries is hosting an online workshop on April 1st about how to use Census data:

https://gmu.libcal.com/calendar/events/census2020

Mason Cable Network’s Super Tuesday Coverage

2020 Student Opinion: Super Tuesday and Beyond

See what Mason students on the Fairfax campus had to say ahead of Super Tuesday (video courtesy of Mason Cable Network):

The students of COMM 145 (Newspaper Workshop I) interviewed a range of students on Mason’s Fairfax campus ahead of Super Tuesday when Virginia and 13 other states vote for their choice in the Democratic Primary.

Students were asked about the issues most important to them, who they planned to vote for on Super Tuesday, and what party will get their vote in the presidential election on November 3, 2020.

Here is what they had to say:

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Jansci Drinkwater, Junior, Marketing

Do you plan to vote on Super Tuesday? Why or why not? “Yes. It’s politically correct.”

Which candidate to you plan to vote for in the primary? Deciding between Biden and Bloomberg

Which primary candidate is your second choice (assuming your preferred candidate doesn’t win a majority of delegates)? Warren

Top three issues in 2020:

Women’s Rights
LGBTQ Rights (taking a class about trans rights)
Military Power (father is a veteran)

Who did you vote for in the 2016 presidential election? Hillary Clinton (D)

Which party do you plan to vote for in the 2020 presidential election? Democrat

Why is it important for young people to vote? “We have the power, so why are we not voting?”

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Grace Walker, Freshman, Forensic Science

Do you plan to vote on Super Tuesday? Why or why not? “Yes. Everyone should vote because one vote can make change.”

Which candidate to you plan to vote for in the primary? Sanders

Which primary candidate is your second choice (assuming your preferred candidate doesn’t win a majority of delegates)? Warren

Top three issues in 2020:

Environment/Climate Change (“We have one planet to live on and it’s being destroyed.”)
Education/Student Loan Debt (costs are out of control)
Taxes on Feminine Care (it’s a biological function and should not be taxed)

Who did you vote for in the 2016 presidential election? Not eligible to vote

Which party do you plan to vote for in the 2020 presidential election? Democrat

Why is it important for young people to vote? “We tend to have more progressive voices and will lead the future of this country.”

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Shawn Ouellette, Senior, Communication

Do you plan to vote on Super Tuesday? Why or why not? “No. They are all really terrible candidates.”

Which candidate to you plan to vote for in the primary? n/a

Which primary candidate is your second choice (assuming your preferred candidate doesn’t win a majority of delegates)? n/a

Top three issues in 2020:

Abortion (“I’m pro-life.”)
Gun Rights
Immigration

Who did you vote for in the 2016 presidential election? Donald Trump (R)

Which party do you plan to vote for in the 2020 presidential election? Republican

Why is it important for young people to vote? “It’s more about educating people on issues than just voting to vote.”

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Mia Pulley, Junior, History

Do you plan to vote on Super Tuesday? Why or why not? “Yes. Because I’m a college student and my vote matters.”

Which candidate to you plan to vote for in the primary? Biden

Which primary candidate is your second choice (assuming your preferred candidate doesn’t win a majority of delegates)? Warren

Top three issues in 2020:

Social Security (“I don’t think I should put money in a program other people benefit from.”)
Women’s Rights/Birth Control (“No one should be telling me what to do with my body.”)
Racial Equality (“There is a ‘glass ceiling’ for race.”)

Who did you vote for in the 2016 presidential election? Hillary Clinton (D)

Which party do you plan to vote for in the 2020 presidential election? Democrat

Why is it important for young people to vote? “It is extremely important. We must start preparing for the future now.”

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Wingel Caburian, Junior, Communication

Do you plan to vote on Super Tuesday? Why or why not? “Yes. I want to participate because I recently became a U.S. citizen.”

Which candidate to you plan to vote for in the primary? Sanders

Which primary candidate is your second choice (assuming your preferred candidate doesn’t win a majority of delegates)? Yang

Top three issues in 2020:

Illegal Immigration (“My family members went through the process and everyone should.”)
Environment/Climate Change (worried about the future of the planet)
Student Debt (costs should be lowered)

Who did you vote for in the 2016 presidential election? Hillary Clinton (D)

Which party do you plan to vote for in the 2020 presidential election? Undecided

Why is it important for young people to vote? “We need to get our voices heard.”

___________________

Philip Wilkerson, Non-degree Graduate Student, Higher Education

Do you plan to vote on Super Tuesday? Why or why not? “Yes. A voteless people is a hopeless people.”

Which candidate to you plan to vote for in the primary? Warren

Which primary candidate is your second choice (assuming your preferred candidate doesn’t win a majority of delegates)? Sanders

Top three issues in 2020:

Justice Reform (drug rehab and post-prison reentry programs at the federal level)
Student Debt
Immigration (need to pass Dream Act)

Who did you vote for in the 2016 presidential election? Hillary Clinton (D)

Which party do you plan to vote for in the 2020 presidential election? Democrat

Why is it important for young people to vote? “Young people need to vote [their peers] into office and more young people should run.”

___________________

Jordan Lear, Sophomore, Communication

Do you plan to vote on Super Tuesday? Why or why not? “Yes. I want somebody better than Trump.”

Which candidate to you plan to vote for in the primary? Sanders (absentee)

Which primary candidate is your second choice (assuming your preferred candidate doesn’t win a majority of delegates)? Warren

Top three issues in 2020:

Environment/Climate Change (“I’m tired of the disbelief.”)
Gun Control (pass background checks and stricter ownership rules)
Student Debt (“College doesn’t have to be free, but it needs to be more affordable.”)

Who did you vote for in the 2016 presidential election? Not eligible to vote

Which party do you plan to vote for in the 2020 presidential election? Democrat

Why is it important for young people to vote? “This is about the next four years of our lives. It’s our social and political life. It affects us all.”

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Ian Dickson, Junior, Marketing

Do you plan to vote on Super Tuesday? Why or why not? “Possibly.”

Which candidate to you plan to vote for in the primary? Bloomberg

Which primary candidate is your second choice (assuming your preferred candidate doesn’t win a majority of delegates)? No second choice

Top three issues in 2020:

Environment (stop global warming)
Abortion
Gun Control (2nd Amendment)

Who did you vote for in the 2016 presidential election? Didn’t vote

Which party do you plan to vote for in the 2020 presidential election? Undecided

___________________

Elijah Kohn, Freshman, Environmental Science

Do you plan to vote on Super Tuesday? Why or why not? “Yes. It’s important for everyone to vote. Political efficacy should be practiced.”

Which candidate to you plan to vote for in the primary? Sanders

Which primary candidate is your second choice (assuming your preferred candidate doesn’t win a majority of delegates)? Warren

Top three issues in 2020:

Student Debt (should be decreased)
Environment/Climate Change (“The current president isn’t doing anything.”)
Health Care (drug prices are too expensive in the U.S.)

Who did you vote for in the 2016 presidential election? Not eligible to vote

Which party do you plan to vote for in the 2020 presidential election? Democrat

Why is it important for young people to vote? “Young people need to get their voices heard.”

___________________

Anonymous, Junior, Global Affairs

Do you plan to vote on Super Tuesday? Why or why not? “Yes. It’s my civic duty.”

Which candidate to you plan to vote for in the primary? Sanders

Which primary candidate is your second choice (assuming your preferred candidate doesn’t win a majority of delegates)? Warren

Top three issues in 2020:

Immigration (“This issue affects my community.”)
Health Care (impacts all Americans)
Student Debt (“This issue affects people in my age group.”)

Who did you vote for in the 2016 presidential election? Didn’t vote

Which party do you plan to vote for in the 2020 presidential election? Democrat

Why is it important for young people to vote? “A lot of issues concern young people but often we don’t vote, leaving us underrepresented.”

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