Men’s hockey starts NCHC play, B1
THE STATESMAN UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA DULUTH
WWW.UMDSTATESMAN.COM
Find candidate information easily online
T TO V U O
TE O
An estimated 73 percent of American adults said they use the Internet to get political news, take part in political activities or use social media for political purposes according to a 2010 Pew Internet Project survey. The Internet is increasingly useful as a tool for gathering political information and campaigning, but it can be an uncontrolled environment for misinformation. Below is a list of websites that research voter, candidate and election information: n Vote 411: a website launched in 2006 by the League of Women Voters Education Fund. It allows voters to enter their address and find information about the political races in their area. They can also look up individual candidates. n Project Vote Smart: a non-profit foundation founded by former U.S. Senate democratic candidate Richard Kimball in 1992. The site offers individual candidate information. Enter the name of a politician and then select from information about the person’s voting record, positions on issues, speeches and funding. n On The Issues: an organization headquartered in Massachusetts and Montana and founded in 1996. It is a source for both researching candidates and reading about the various issues of importance for the upcoming elections. The site lists prominent national politicians and issues that are in the news right now. n Open Secrets: a website run by the Center for Responsive Politics. It is a database of fundraising information for each candidate. Look up individual donors, candidates, companies or organizations to help learn about the influence of money in each campaign. The site collects public information as it becomes available and puts it into a searchable list. These sites are not the only destination for political and campaign information. Most candidates have information on their individual websites and political parties all maintain sites about their platform.
GE T
BY RYAN DAVIS Statesman Correspondent
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2014
UMD ILLUSTRATION BY MARISA SCHOEN
Profiles of incumbents and challengers for governor, Senate and the House, A3
How do I vote? Students gain experience BY SAM GAZZOLA & ERIK GAFFRON Statesman Correspondents
Many young college students will be voting for the first time this year, and navigating the voting process can be difficult. Where do you go to vote? How do you register? What if you need to vote but you’re going to be absent? These are just a few questions that first-time voters might have. Sophomore Kayla Collins has never voted before. When asked if she knew how the voting process works, she said, “No. I have an idea, but I don’t know for sure.” Collins then explained to us how she thought it worked. “You go to your location, get your ballot, go to the booth and vote, and then turn it in and leave,” Collins said. She is correct, but the system is a little more complex. Here is a simple guide for first-time voters on how to vote: n First, find out where you will be voting. You can go to the Minnesota Secretary of State’s website, MNVotes, and type in your ZIP code and address. The site will tell you
INDEX:
News: A1 - A4 |
where you need to go on Election Day. n Second, you must register to vote. You can register in person at your local election official’s office. You can even apply by mail in advance, also through your election officials. You can also find information at MNVotes to learn how to register on Election Day. n Once you get to your location, sign in and wait for directions about how to fill out your ballot. If your designated site is busy, you may have to wait in line. When it is time for you to fill out the ballot, you will be sent to your own voting booth. n The ballot will look similar to a Scantron test sheet with small bubbles next to the names of all candidates. There will also be a blank space, usually below the listed candidates, for you to add write-in candidates. You’ll use this space if you want to vote for a different, unlisted candidate. n After completing your ballot, you will bring it to the voting judge for review. The judge will check for any issues or small mistakes on your ballot that could invalidate your bal see VOTE, A4
Opinion: A5 - A6 | Sports: B1 - B2
through internships
Two students are helping candidates in their respective campaigns BY RILEY ANDERSON & KELSEY ANDERSON Statesman Correspondent
Getting valuable work experience as a student can be difficult, especially in a depressed job market. But students can get on-the-job training and make a difference by working for a political campaign. Even students who have no desire to pursue a political career after graduation can build their resume and learn valuable skills. Campaigns actively seek interns to help a candidate run for public office due to the amount of time and work involved in the campaigning process. Students Patrick Chilton and Drew Johnson explain their experience work-
| Student Life: B3 - B5
ing for political campaigns. Patrick Chilton, a student at Hamline University in St. Paul, has been working since June as a field organizer for Sen. Al Franken. “It’s very exciting being on the ground in such an important race,” Chilton said. “When a race is as close as Al’s was in 2008, everything you do could have a huge impact.” Chilton recruits volunteers to help with Franken’s campaign and reach out to voters. “Talking to voters is probably one of the most rewarding things I’ve ever done,” Chilton said. “You hear so many different points of view and life stories. It forces you to reflect on your own beliefs.” Ultimately, Chilton said he would like to work in politics and perhaps run for office. His job with Franken’s campaign has taught him how candidates and their teams work together to build a successful campaign. “Working for Franken has showed me just how hard political candidates see INTERNS, A4