Weinberg junior Chenault Taylor was supposed to be studying abroad in France this quarter. Instead, she’s taking the quarter off to work full time in Las Vegas as a field organizer for Barack Obama’s campaign in Nevada.
“France is going to be there in 42 days but the election will be over by then,” Taylor said. “Being in Nevada is important because it’s a battleground, one of the most competitive states in the country.”
With extra media and voter attention on this year’s upcoming presidential election, Northwestern students are enlisting for both sides of the campaign.
Adam Seidel, a Weinberg and Music junior and member of the NU College Republicans, volunteered 20 hours a week for John McCain’s campaign in the St. Paul, Minn., office this past summer.
“It’s kind of a raindrop effect,” Seidel said. “Making a phone call and talking to friends has a tiny little effect, but suddenly it becomes a huge effect. When you get out there, you think to yourself, you’re only one person, only one vote. If I can make a contribution that makes me more than just one vote … that’s a good feeling.”
Seidel said he was unable to take any time off school to work for the campaign, but he continues to do what he can from campus.
“Obviously Illinois is going one way and there’s not much work I can do since I’m in Illinois right now, but I help people who identify themselves as conservatives over Facebook and the Internet and help them vote,” Seidel said.
SESP senior Jessica Klein takes the shuttle to Chicago nearly every day, balancing 15 to 30 hours a week at Obama’s national campaign headquarters while attending school.
“It was something I knew I had to be a part of, especially being so close here in Chicago and having that ability as a Northwestern student,” Klein said.
Politics aside, students said that they agree that the opportunity to attend rallies, work with accomplished professionals and participate in the inner workings of a presidential campaign has been more than worth the effort.
“This has been a total whirlwind,” Taylor said. “This has been a real hands-on voting experience that you can’t really get in classroom.”
