(Photo Courtesy of Tempe Undergraduate Student Government)
Political education is the topic of Sparking Democracy, an event being held by the Tempe Undergraduate Student Government on Oct. 27 to Oct. 30 that will feature gubernatorial candidates Doug Ducey, Fred DuVal, Barry Hess and JL Mealer.
The event will feature educational forums where Republican Ducey, Democrat DuVal, Libertarian Hess and Americans Elect of Arizona Mealer will speak to students. Other candidates campaigning for state offices will be present as well.
Nicholas VandenNieuwenhof, Tempe USG vice president of policy, said the event is to raise awareness and engage students in the political process.
"Our plan really is to engage students and try to get them to ask questions such as where do they stand on the political spectrum," VandenNieuwenhof said.
On Oct. 27 and Oct. 29, members of Tempe USG will be in front of the Memorial Union tabling to find students who aren't sure what part of the spectrum on which they fall, he said.
"If they don’t know what side, then that is great because we want them to come to our speaking events which will be on the Oct. 28 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m and Oct. 30 at the same time," VandenNieuwenhof said.
The four candidates for governor will be the highlight of the Oct. 28 event held in Old Main, and it will allow students to interact with their candidates.
"Ducey and DuVal will be our main speakers and we will have most of the statewide candidates such as secretary of state, attorney general, as well as both other candidates for governor," VandenNieuwenhof said.
Superintendent of Public Instruction candidates Republican Diane Douglas and Democrat David Garcia will be joined by Republican Roy James and Democrat Andrew Sherwood, candidates for the state House in the Tempe-based 26th Legislative District at the Oct. 30 event on Hayden Lawn.
After speaking to the students, the candidates will have a debate on the issues that affect students the most, VandenNieuwenhof said.
"We are going to have a Republican vs. Democrat debate," he said. "I was thinking we would have the education superintendent candidates speak, and then go to state representative candidates about their direction of the state. Then maybe a little bit of their opinion of higher education, and then to more of a debate."
Tempe USG Senator Andy Mandwee said the event aims to show that student voices matter and that they are an important part of the democratic process.
"It is important to be engaged in the political process," he said. "Your vote does count."
The event is part of a three-part series to get students registered, educated and voting on Nov. 4.
"Before we were focused on registering students, and now we want them to meet the candidates and form their opinions," Mandwee said.
Samantha Singh, state and national affairs director for Tempe USG, reiterated Mandwee's view of the importance of education in the political process.
"It's one thing to register to vote, but it's important to be educated on what you are voting for," she said.
VandenNieuwenhof said the events all tie into the theme of Sparking Democracy and getting students interested in the upcoming elections.
"We are really wanting to ask students to start asking questions as to where they stand and what do they actually believe in," he said.
Reach the reporter at jshanco2@asu.edu or follow on Twitter @joey_hancock
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