Information Students Should Know About the Midterm Elections

Hunter has a diverse undergraduate student body. According to the Hunter diversity report, 29.4 percent of its undergraduates are Latino, 26.1 percent are Asian, 25.7 percent are white and 10.7 percent are black. The difference between male and female undergraduate students is higher than the national average, with 64.2 percent of the student body female, 35.8 percent male.

According to the CUNY Hunter International Student Page, there are nearly 2,000 international students representing at least 46 countries. The average age for college students is between 18-21. Compared to the national average of 60 percent of students this age, at Hunter only 37.9 percent of undergraduate students fit this age bracket.

Undergraduate and graduate students can find more information on about voter registration and even about making $$$ working at a polling place by clicking this link for the College’s Office of Accessibility website.

Resources

“Democrats Have Shot at Reclaiming Several Midwest Governorships” by Kris Maher, The Wall Street Journal

This article is an important resource for undergraduate students because in interviews of students regarding midterm elections, several stated that Democrats will not reclaim the House of Representatives and the Senate. New York is a very liberal state; it is the Red Ssates that cause concern!
This article covers the states which have governorships that could switch from red to blue in the midterm elections: Ohio, Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan and Iowa. Recent polls in these states have shown that Democrats are even with or ahead of Republicans.

The main question of the piece is whether or not Republican candidates can “appeal to swing voters in states President Trump won, when the president’s approval rating remains low.” The interviewees – although scattered in favor of Trump – were not set in their ways; it seemed as though they were willing to jump behind any candidate who piqued their interests.

With this article, students can see that many from the Democratic party are looking up; Jared Leopold, a spokesman for the Democratic Governors Association, is optimistic about going blue in the Midwest. Leopold stated that the midterms were a way to ensure fairer maps in the next presidential election.

The article speaks directly to college-age students, and explains that it is important for everyone to vote in the upcoming midterms. People who oppose Trump – which, safely assumed, make up a large part of Hunter’s undergraduate population – are fired up.

“Court Upholds Ohio’s Vote Suppression Scheme” – USA Today

This article discusses voter suppression and purging. In Ohio, a law is being upheld that if a voter does not vote for two years, his or her registration is revoked.
Voter purging tends to unfairly and disproportionately target black people and other minorities, who tend to vote less often than whites. This follows the trend in many Republican states to make it more difficult for minority voters to register and to remain eligible after registering.
This is an important resource for students at Hunter College considering the diversity statistics previously stated. Although voter purging may not be happening as often in New York, it is crucial to be aware that it is happening so as to educate and fight against it.

“Taking Back the Vote” by Eric Holder, Time

This article also discusses voter suppression. However, this focuses on a college – North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University. The college campus, with a mainly black student body, is split between two different congressional districts. This means that students can be required to re-register if they move to another section of the campus. In 2016 the congressional map was not divided in this area, but Republicans had illegally divided the map by race ensuring that one party has more power than the other due to voter support. In 2018, the college will be voting in two separate districts.

This is a grounding resource for students specifically because it displays that voter suppression is not just happening in the Midwest – it is happening here on the East coast to college students.

“Fringe Fest” by Dave Gilson, Mother Jones

This article discusses the white supremacists and conspiracy theorists running as Republicans in the upcoming midterm elections. It describes Corey Stewart, whose political career is built on defending Confederate monuments, Arthur Jones, a Holocaust denier, John Fitzgerald, another Holocaust denier, Bill Fawell, a Sandy Hook denier and many more.

This is a shocking but useful source for college students because it is, in a way, refreshing. This displays to students that this is exactly what we are fighting against. It shows that voting is necessary to ensure that the future of our government is a little more secure than those running.

“Flip or Flop” by Luke Mullins, Mother Jones

This article focuses on the United States Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and its strategy and plans for the midterm elections. It discusses how the DCCC plans on reclaiming the House and the Senate, and the benefits that will have on the next Presidential elections.
It is very straightforward in showing statistics, as well as how they fare against progressive voters.

“Not Every Vote Counts” by Jelani Cobb, New Yorker

This article, like a few previous ones, discusses voter suppression targeting black people. I belive that articles like this one are important resources for students because this is a big issue in 2018. Not many college-age people are aware that the midterm elections are as important as they are, and because voters are being purged from their registrations might provide enlightenment that something needs to be done.

The Most Important Election of Our Lives” by David Corn, Hannah Levintova, Pema Levy, Jeremy Schulman, Mother Jones

This article provides a basic overview of the policy changes under President Donald Trump, and what would change if the Democrats regained control of the House or the Senate. This may be one of the more important resources for students as it is essentially a fact sheet in itself. It will allow students – on a liberal campus in a liberal city – to make the informed decision not only to vote, but how to vote.

 

Addison Gettenberg can be reached at Addison.Gettenberg75@myhunter.cuny.edu