ESCANABA - The Voter Registration Drive and Political Campaign Fair at Bay de Noc Community College Wednesday allowed first-time voters to register, and prepared all voters to make informed decisions at the polls this November.
The event was part of the college's annual Constitution Day activities and was open to the public. Attendees could register to vote or confirm their registration and look at sample ballots. They could also read literature on candidates provided by members of the Delta County Democratic and Republican parties; and on non-partisan issues provided by the League of Women's Voters.
Escanaba City Clerk Robert Richards was available to register first-time voters, many of whom he said were students. "There's been a huge influx of young, first-time voters," he said. "I think it has a lot to do with who the presidential candidates are this year, and all the media hype surrounding the election."
Bay College student Dan Mayville was among those who registered to vote Wednesday. His reason for doing so was simple.
"I'm 18 now and it's pretty much my obligation," he said.
Others who have voted before found good reason to attend the event.
"I came because I wanted to get more informed so that I would vote more intelligently," said Marcye Farrell, Rapid River. "I also want to help campaign for Obama so I wanted to find out what I could do to help."
Bay College student Robert Rines said he's voted several times before, but he still finds the event helpful.
"This is nice because you get to know the candidates and you get information on them," he said. "Otherwise you're going in to vote and you say, 'What am I voting for?'
The college puts on a voter registration drive every four years and a political campaign fair every two years. Bay College political science instructor Molly Campbell said this was the first year some of the candidates themselves attended. State House District 108 candidates Mike Falcon, R-Gladstone, and Judy Nerat, D-Menominee, were both at the event talking to voters and answering their questions.
Falcon said he wanted to talk to voters about his plans for keeping employment opportunities in the area.
"We need to keep our small businesses and manufacturing vibrant to keep jobs within our area for our future and the future of our children," he said.
Nerat, as well, spoke to voters about job creation.
"...I tell them about jobs and how if I have to go out and talk to businesses to find out what their needs are in order for them to provide jobs in the area, I will," she said. "People are tired of hearing talk. They want change."
Rines said he didn't know much about the two candidates before the event, but came away with a better understanding of where they stood on issues.
A mock election held at the event gave voters the opportunity to vote on a few things before November. On the mock ballot, voters were asked to vote for a president, U.S. senator, U.S. congressman, State representative, and to vote yes or no on two state-wide ballot proposals 08-1: Medical Marijuana and 08-2: Stem Cell Research. Campbell said the votes would be tallied later.
