Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

ELECTION 2008 :

UNLV students turning out to vote early

Sun coverage

Early voting at UNLV is drawing droves of students to the polls, including many first-time voters.

The line to cast ballots at the campus’ main library has been about 25 people deep for the past hour.

Larenna McGee, 22, a psychology student, voted for the first time today. She picked Barack Obama for president, saying she was disgusted by the Iraq War. She also believes the Democratic candidate would do more to improve education than his rival John McCain would.

The past four years under President George W. Bush were “kind of my fault because I didn’t make a choice” in 2004, McGee said.

So this election, she was determine to have her voice heard.

Around UNLV, Obama backers have posted materials touting their candidate and encouraging students to vote early on campus. The Democrat's campaign also took out a full-page color ad in today’s copy of The Rebel Yell, UNLV’s student newspaper, encouraging students to vote.

“I see Obama posters everywhere,” said 18-year-old McCain supporter Brian Lennon, a physics student. “It’s driving me crazy.”

Lennon, who plans to vote Tuesday on campus, said he believes McCain’s policies on everything from health care to education are better than Obama’s because they promote competition.

Though Lennon is not alone in supporting the Republican, polls have shown voters age 18-29 favoring Obama by wide margins.

A couple of people carrying pro-Obama materials just outside the library entrance spent a couple of minutes encouraging people to vote despite a sign posted outside the library that read, “NO ELECTIONEERING between this point and the entrance to the polling place.”

To celebrate the opening of UNLV’s early voting site and to encourage students to vote, Barack Obama’s Campaign for Change is having a “Concert for Change” this afternoon at UNLV featuring Jimmy Tamborello of The Postal Service as well as The Bird and The Bee. Anthony Kiedis, the lead singer of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, is to speak to attendees about the importance of voting, particularly early voting.

UNLV’s early voting site is only open today and tomorrow.

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