Last night students were educated about the upcoming presidential elections, the issues, the parties, the candidates, how to register to vote and how to Vote SMART.

Vote SMART was created by the SMART program (Students of Color Mentoring Aiding Retaining and Teaching) and was meant to show what role college students, future leaders and minorities have in the upcoming election.

Michelle Buggs, the graduate programmer for the SMART program, said, “We want to educate [students] – specifically our smart mentees in the program… – on the candidates and what they stand for, why it’s important for students to vote and the kind of stake they have in it.”

SMART is geared toward the program’s mentees who are firstyear students, but they decided to open this particular event up to everyone.

“We basically just want to educate people and we want people to go out and vote,” said Jacqueline Hernandez, the SMART team leader. “But we want people to be aware of what’s going on.”

SMART mentors, specifically Kevin Zamora, came up with the idea to inform their fellow students on the election.

Zamora, a sophomore SMART mentor, said he wanted to bring a program like this here because people want to know what is going on in the world.

“But it’s kind of hard to step out of your comfort zone and make it significant to yourself,” Zamora said.

After coming to the conclusion that a program should happen here, calls were made, the room in Olscamp was reserved, posters were hung around campus and the event took place.

The speakers at Vote SMART included two administrators from the Wood County Board of Elections, Dale David and Terry Kuhal, College of Democrats President Mark Ingles and Secretary Ronald Collier.

Senior SMART mentor, Jason McGee, was the host of the night and introduced each speaker. Each spokesperson was first given two to five minutes to briefly explain their offices and job responsibilities. Then McGee gave each representative questions created by the SMART mentees.

Dale David answered questions about why college students’ vote counts, how to register to vote, how to fill out an absentee ballet and where to vote.

Sophomore Bridget Richardson asked David if someone has to be registered to vote for the Primary Election in order to be eligible to vote in the general Election in November.

David said people must register 30 days prior to Election Day to vote.

After answering more questions about the process of voting, McGee was supposed to introduce the Republicans, but they were no where to be found.

Ingles began his presentation about the Democratic party by introducing both of the Democratic candidates, Barack Obama and Hilary Clinton, on their biographical background and qualifications. He also mentioned the four primary issues of the Democratic party: Economy, Health Care, energy and Iraq.

Ingles emphasized that the Democrats have represented minority voters since the 1930’s.

“The Democratic party is in the front lines, fighting for those who’ve been left behind,” Ingles said.

Ingles also mentioned that the Latino vote is growing the fastest.

Ingle said, voting is important, especially for college students who complain about college funds.

“It’s a powerful way to show what’s going on is not what you want,” Ingle said.

McGee thanked each of the speakers. Students were then able to ask speakers their own individual questions.

Answers to questions were served and so was red, white and blue cake.

Around 40-30 people showed up to the event.

“If even one person comes it’s a good turnout because someone else is getting educated on about something that they didn’t previously know,” said Hernandez.

Members of the SMART program, college Democrats and board of elections wanted students to walk away with the importance of voting.

“This is really important to them [college students] because it deals with education, with jobs, taxes, all the stuff they’re going to deal with later in the future,” said Buggs.

Terry Burton, the Deputy director County Board of Elections, said he has seen hundreds of elections and sees where one vote matters.

“I have been in the room where two candidates have tied and we actually had to flip a coin,” Burton said.

Burton said he applauds those who came out to the event last night in order to receive more information and to become part of the voting process.

“In the end, the democracy only works with participation and we’ve always in recent year failed to engage the youngest members in the democracy in that participation,” Burton said. “If we can get across the idea that to be engaged in the process is an important part of life and an important part of being a citizen of the country it will only benefit us in the long run.”