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Oct. 30, 2020 / Printed Three Times a Semester / Online Monday, Wednesday, Friday at albionpleiad.com Albion College’s Both Sides of the Political Spectrum

Erin Lathrop in person on election day for President Sports Editor Trump to serve his second term in the oval office. On Tuesday, the time will come for Growing up, Hall said he has always Americans to elect the president that will leaned to the right when it came to poli- govern the country for the next four years. tics. Coming to college, Hall’s political Due to the drastically different plat- beliefs didn’t change. forms of each candidate, this has been a “I feel like my views have been re-en- high tension, polarizing election grabbing forced since being here,” said Hall. the attention of Albion College students Democrats on Campus along with the rest of the United States. For the Democratic Party, former Republicans on Campus Vice President Joe Biden is running for For the Republican Party, current the presidential election. President Donald J. Trump is running for “I just filled out my absentee ballot re-election. yesterday,” said Sara Crisenberry, a senior “His economic policy is the biggest from Jackson. for me and general across the board,” said Crisenberry said, due to the fact that Cameron Hall, a sophomore from South we have created an Albion Bubble and Lyon and current Albion College Repub- students aren’t supposed to leave cam- licans president. “What he’s done to bring pus, she felt like the absentee ballot was Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, voters are being encouraged to vote by mail with an jobs back to the US, to try and eliminate the way to vote. This restriction goes absentee ballot. When receiving an absentee ballot, there’s a sticker inside the envelope, outsourcing.” alongside the regulations put into place to just like the one given in in-person voting polls, to show that you voted too (Photo by Hall said that he, along with his protect students from COVID-19. Erin Lathrop). family members back home, plans to vote “I was going to do that anyways be- cause of the whole pandemic thing,” said presidential candidate,” said Crisenberry. to vote [for] Trump.” Amber Zoerman, a junior from Holland. “In the past, my mom did vote for Trump, College is the time where people find “It’s just easier for me. One, not having to but she has seen he didn’t do a very good who they are and for Zoerman and Crisen- drive even without all these Albion bubble job, and she is voting Democrat this time. berry, and Hall on the other side of the po- restrictions. And with the bubble, I think My dad is going with the choice that’s pro- litical spectrum, college has strengthened it’s really important anyways.” choice, pro-LGBT and pro-women’s rights.” their beliefs that they grew up with. Zoerman also shares similar political Zoerman said that many of the “I have always followed more of the beliefs with her family. reasons she finds herself voting for Biden Democratic beliefs than Republican be- “My mom has always been a Dem- stem from the things that make her who liefs, but I think being a political science ocrat,” said Zoerman. “She voted for she is, including her background with major, I’ve definitely been able to be Obama twice and she hates Trump.” some of the more controversial issues more educated on why I think the way I Unlike Zoerman and her family, not such as the Affordable Care Act and do and can kind of explain it better,” said Students around campus are preparing everyone voting for the Democratic Party Planned Parenthood. Zoerman. “I’ve just learned more. I un- for the the upcoming election on Nov. did so in 2016. Some people who voted “I looked at this as a lesser of the derstand better why certain things are im- 3. Albion College is a diverse campus for Trump in 2016 aren’t voting for him in two evils,” said Crisenberry. “I don’t portant and how the streams of thoughts including diverse political views (Photo this year’s election. agree with everything he is running for, kind of work. They haven’t changed, but Illustrated by Irene Corona-Avila). “My family is all voting for the same but I know for sure that I was not going I have become more educated.”

how a democracy is built upon.” Voting is a Privilege That Some Those who are able to vote have the chance to choose Albion Students Do Not Have their representatives. Although a big deal is made out of the Paola Amaya “If you don’t vote, you’re doing a presidential election, Sierra Staff Writer disservice to yourself and everyone you believes that smaller elections know because politics affects everyone are equally important. As the upcoming presidential election around you in one way or the other,” said “Somebody should vote, approaches on Tuesday, many people Sierra. not only in the big, national are preparing to vote. However, some Those who cannot vote in the election but they should also individuals are unable to do so. This presidential election include non-citizens, vote in their state elections population includes a number of students people with certain felony convictions, because they are the people that on campus. These students, like others who people with certain mental incapacities represent you at the end of the cannot vote, encourage others to practice and citizens living in U.S. territories. Some day,” said Sierra. their right to vote if they are able. Albion students fall under this umbrella. Being undocumented and According to the Pew Research “DACA recipients don’t have that surrounded by undocumented Center, only 55.7 percent of the voting-age privilege and they are very active in people her entire life, Sierra population in the United States voted in the society, but they don’t have that privilege recognizes the significance of 2016 presidential election. Various reasons, to vote and have their voices heard,” said voting. She found the 2016 such as socioeconomic status, education Daniela Lopez, a junior from Chicago. “We presidential election the most and race, bar American citizens who want depend on our friends who do have the difficult because of Donald to vote from doing so. In the meantime, privilege to vote and have our voices heard, Trump’s claims of deporting many people who are able to vote are not if that’s their belief.” immigrants. Not being able to doing so. As part of a democracy, voting gives vote, due to her status, made her Irma Sierra, a junior from Chicago, the public a chance to give input on who feel useless to herself and those strongly believes that people should be they want in governing power. she cared about Some individuals have the right to vote and others some voting. Many people take their right to vote “If people say, ‘well my vote doesn’t do not. Daniela Lopez, a junior from Chicago, counts for granted and miss the opportunity to count,’ I’m pretty sure it does if that’s what See VOTING IS A on those who can vote to be a voice for her during the have a say in the governing system. they’re asking for,” said Lopez. “That’s PRIVILEGE on back. election (Photo Courtesy of Jennifer Cortez). What Albion’s College Democrats are doing Voting is a Privilege Continued from Front for the upcoming Presidential election “I feel like I really came to terms with it, so now, I really Taylor Dietz like to encourage people. I feel News Editor like I say this all the time, ‘not everyone can vote so you should Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it is vote.’ I say that a lot now because harder for groups, like Albion’s College I experienced it firsthand, so now, Democrats, to meet and host events. In an- it doesn’t bother me,” said Sierra. ticipation of the 2020 presidential election, “Now I just want to put it out the Albion College Democrats are prioritiz- there that it’s important that you ing the spread of information and awareness should vote.” about voting and the election across campus. College Democrats President Amber Zoerman, a junior from Holland, runs the organization’s Instagram page. Instagram has been one of the main tools to spread information about the election, deadlines for registering to vote and any events that the College Democrats will be hosting. Recently highlighted on their Instagram The Albion College Democrats strive to educate students on how to vote for the upcoming page, the College Democrats hosted watch election on Nov. 3. Amber Zoerman, President of the Democrats club and a junior from Holland, parties for the presidential and vice presi- and Uma Shuford Williams, a member of the Democrats club and first-year from Chicago, pose dential debates on the quad. These watch with Lauren bergeron, a junior from Riverview (Photo Illustrated by Savannah Waddick). parties gave the College Democrats the opportunity to discuss what was being said ocrats have been working to encourage their election,” said Zoerman. “This includes go- during the debates. members and other students to vote absentee. ing out of their way to volunteer to just vote, “We’ve really made the spreading of The College Democrats have worked no matter who they are voting for.” information a priority because while most of with multiple groups on campus, including our regular members know this information Student Senate and the American Associ- already, we hope it can be spread to other ation of University Women (AAUW), on students who might be confused about how tabling events to register students to vote to vote, especially in this pandemic,” said and spread information about how to get an Zoerman. absentee ballot. The College Democrats have also host- “In Michigan, you can both register to ed volunteer opportunities for those inter- vote and request a ballot completely online, ested in the election. They’ve done remote so it’s been really easy to direct anyone who campaigning for local candidates like Jim has questions about it on how to get their Haadsma and Hillary Scholten. ballot,” said Zoerman. “A lot of our members are political sci- Because the younger generation is ence or public policy majors, so this major significantly less likely to vote than older election has been a really good time for peo- generations, they are encouraging Albion Albion College Democrats President Amber ple to experience what working a campaign students to vote, no matter their political Zoerman, a junior from Holland, talks to Lauren is like,” said Zoerman. affiliations. Bergeron, a junior from Riverview. The biggest Because of Albion’s Together Safely “As the current president of the Albion part of the College Democrats preparation for guidelines, voting in person is not a viable Dems, it’s been really great to see how the upcoming election is encouraging students option for Albion students. The College Dem- involved other people my age are in this to vote (Photo by Savannah Waddick).

Albion College Republicans Prepare for Election Albion Samantha Semerau stopped them in their support of Peter Meijer, nization made the most calls for the Meijer news Opinions Editor Republican candidate for Michigan’s third campaign would win. delivered congressional district. “The idea is that if there’s a little bit of weekly to As the upcoming 2020 election ap- “We’re doing some phone calling events competition, there will be some incentive to your inbox. proaches, the Albion College Republicans since we’re unable to go knock on doors and reach more voters, and that’s really our goal Sign up continue preparations. These preparations such,” said Albion College Republicans Pres- this election, to reach as many voters as we with our include campaigning for Republican can- ident Cameron Hall, a sophomore from South can,” said Hall. “On top of that, whichever QR code. didates, reviewing election material and Lyon. “We cannot go door knocking for the school wins will get a nice box of merch encouraging their peers to vote. campaigns, so it’s a lot of phone calls, really.” from the Peter Meijer campaign.” Due to Albion College restric- To help drum up interest in phone bank- The College Republicans are also active THE ALBION COLLEGE PLEIAD tions placed in response to the COVID-19 ing for Meijer, Hall and the Albion College in campaigning for other Republicans run- Online at albionpleaid.com pandemic, members of the College Repub- Republicans held a competition on Oct. 21 ning for office besides Meijer. This includes Contact us at [email protected] licans have not been able to campaign as against the College Republicans at Grand a phone banking event for the Trump Victory FALL 2020 STAFF they normally would. However, this has not Valley State University. Whichever orga- campaign on Saturday and supporting Michi- Editor-in-Chief: Jordan Revenaugh gan senatorial candidate John James. Managing Editor: Irene Corona-Avila In addition to their work campaign- Co-Marketing Coordinator: Peach Norman Owen ing, the College Republicans have been Co-Marketing Coordinator: Ryan encouraging their fellow students to vote in Lemanski the upcoming presidential election. Along Features Editor: Aura Ware with other organizations and the President’s News Editor: Taylor Dietz Sports Editor: Erin Lathrop Office, the College Republicans have assisted Opinions Editor: Samantha Semerau with Albion’s commitment to the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge. Staff Writers: Caitlyn-Rae Arendse, “We co-sponsored the National Voter Morgan Derose, Alyiah Harris, Ashley McNeil, Akaiia Ridley, Paola Registration Day event that the President’s Amaya, Kenna Childress, Shannon Office had,” said Hall. “We definitely share Barba, Elizabeth Perez, and Jeanie the same belief that it is important to get Gould students voting. It is a very big demographic Photographers: Peach Norman that a lot of candidates really need.” Owen, Patrick Smoker, and For the College Republicans, what mat- Savannah Waddick ters most is that people are voting and getting The Albion Pleiad staff strives to correct involved in the Democratic process. all errors of fact. If you’ve seen an error in “We’re all about reaching voters,” said our pages, let us know at pleiad@albion. Hall. “One of our biggest goals during an edu. General comments should be posted The Albion College Republicans executive board consists of social media chair Diana Tello, in the comments section at the bottom of a junior from Chicago, finance chair Isis Gibson, a freshman from Detroit and President election year is to reach voters, talk to voters, articles appearing online at albionpleiad. Cameron Hall, a sophomore from South Lyon. The College Republicans have been prepar- try to maybe sway a vote or two. That’s our com. Story ideas? Email the editors at [email protected]. ing for the upcoming election on Nov. 3 (Photo by Patrick Smoker). big thing: Reach the voters.”