The general election season kicked off for Democrats in Lane County on Thursday with the opening of the joint campaign office of gubernatorial candidate John Kitzhaber, state Representative Val Hoyle and state Senator Chris Edwards.
After setting up camp at 488 Lincoln St., volunteers and campaign managers alike hope to inform students of their candidates’ positions through campus events, phone banking, tabling and canvassing, along with ensuring students are registered to vote at their current addresses.
“We’re really interested in getting students involved,” said Matt Davis, campaign manager for Hoyle and Edwards, mentioning that he has also contacted ASUO President Amelie Rousseau and the College Democrats. “We have to wait for the summer to pass, but we’re excited to get people involved.”
Kitzhaber’s Field Director Mike Webb is excited about the prospect of getting students involved with campaigning.
“We’re going to have a big presence on campus,” Webb said. “Getting young people involved in general is a goal. We think we have a message that appeals to young people.”
State Representative Hoyle, who was in attendance at the opening of the campaign office, along with United States Representative Peter DeFazio and Edwards, said the primary reason she got into politics was to advocate for more education spending from kindergarten to higher education.
“We have a horrendous budget deficit,” Hoyle said. “But this is the time for us to invest in our workforce development for the future.”
Hoyle thinks student voters have the potential to be the deciding factor in elections.
“What students need to recognize is that Measures 66 and 67 passed because of student voters,” Hoyle said. “Student voters can make a difference in Lane County because it’s a swing county.”
Of the many issues facing college students and recent graduates, the economy is perhaps most interesting.
“The most important issue is jobs, and there is no bigger priority to us,” Webb said. “We’re trying to find the jobs of the 21st century and make sure students are well-trained for the future workplace.”
Webb also said that Kitzhaber has a comprehensive plan for higher education, including changing the role of the state from “owner” to “investor” and giving universities more “operational flexibility” to provide quality educations and to increase graduation rates.
Although Edwards’ track record for education is primarily concerned with K-12 schools, he has focused on environmental and health care legislation in the past, as well. Edwards owns and operates a forest product business.
Hoyle, who currently serves on the business and labor and health committees in Salem, said that she plans on helping education by supporting legislation that will guarantee funding.
“One of the things I will do is support legislation that will reform the kicker until we have adequate reserves,” Hoyle said, referring to the state tax kicker that voters receive. “We can’t continue to fund education on this boom-and-bust cycle.”
University student Travis Prinslow attended the opening. As a Democrat, Prinslow will be volunteering on campus in the fall to get the vote out.
“Students need to know that they have a powerful voice in the Democratic party, and they need to get involved to be heard,” Prinslow said.
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Democratic campaign office opens
Daily Emerald
July 11, 2010
Ivar Vong
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