Whether they are standing in the cold holding signs to increase their candidate's visibility or organizing bus trips to rallies in nearby cities, Dartmouth students working on political campaigns are gearing up for the final push.
Former president of the Young Democrats Scott Burns '97 said his current time commitment to the Democratic campaigns varies from 10 to 25 hours a week.
"It really is a lot of time," he said. But "I am interested in helping to elect candidates that support the same issues I do."
Burns explained that students working for Democratic campaigns are doing so through the Coordinated Campaign office in West Lebanon, having been contacted individually or through the Young Democrats on campus.
Coordinator of the Upper Valley Coordinated Campaign office Susan Draybick said, "By election day, I figure [the number of students involved] will probably be about 40," adding, "some do a lot, some do a little."
Students who affiliate themselves with the Republican party are becoming involved with this year's campaigns through the Conservative Union at Dartmouth or via individual initiative.
CUAD Chairman Michael New '97 said, "The Dole campaign is a little bit unorganized on campus right now," mentioning that "the dissemination of information will take place ... later on."
But the group has organized bus trips down to Hartford, Conn., and Manchester to hold rallies for Republican presidential candidate Bob Dole and his running mate, Jack Kemp.
New mentioned "it was fun to have a part in" the pre-debate rally on Oct. 6 in Hartford, adding "It's not everyday that the presidential debate is held in your backyard."
Todd Johann '97 explained he is working for Republican candidate for the New Hampshire State Senate Jim Rubens' campaign this fall.
"A friend of mine ran his campaign last time around, and he got me in touch with him," Johann said.
Richard Hernandez '98 wrote in an e-mail message that he is currently "helping [Republican Senator Bob Smith's] re-election effort in the Upper Valley."
"I spent last spring on the Government department FSP in Washington, D.C. which required a full-time internship ... [at which time] ... I worked in Senator Smith's office on Capital Hill," he wrote.
Hernandez "decided to remain on board" when he returned to the College this fall.
While the students may be working on different campaigns, the projects they are asked to undertake remain similar.
Burns explained the students help with literature drops, phone banking, bumper sticker drives, placing lawn signs and holding signs at intersections to ensure visibility.
"The closer we get to the election, the more we focus on getting people to vote," he added, emphasizing the phone work the students will do in the upcoming weeks.
Drabick described the schedule for volunteer phone banking directly before Election day.
"We have it slated for two full days and an evening," she said, also mentioning that "the Dartmouth students delivered 4,000 pieces of literature door to door to four area towns" recently.
Hernandez described his duties when he wrote, "I basically spend most of the time organizing phone banks and doing literature drops around the Hanover/Lebanon areas to registered independents."
"I also put up signs around the Hanover and Lebanon area and set up tables at Food Court to try and encourage students to vote in the upcoming election," he added.
Hernandez explained he devotes "anywhere between three or four hours per week" on a regular basis to the campaign, but "in the next couple of weeks before the election, that number will probably jump up to 10 to 15."
The students working on campaigns have their individual reasons for becoming involved, but they all cite political activism as an important component of their futures.
"I would like to get politically involved at some point in my life and run for office, but not until I've established myself" as a criminal lawyer, Hernandez wrote.
"I would rather be a politician that serves the public interest rather than [solely] try to make a living," he added.
Burns said, "I am interested in politics, and I plan to be involved for a long time, but right now, I am working on the issues I care about."
"To want to be a politician at this stage [in my life] is unnecessary," he added.
Young Dems former-President Nora Freeman '97 said, "I have been really involved in politics since I was in high school, and I have been an officer in Young Dems since my freshman year."
Freeman worked full time this summer for Arnie Arneson, a Democratic candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives, and is now involved with the Democratic Coordinated Campaign in the Upper Valley.
"I think politics will always be an important part of my life," she added. "I am hoping to work next year for a lobbying group on the Hill, or a non-profit organization that deals with education, the environment, or women's issues."
Freeman said she spends 10-15 hours per week working for the Coordinated Campaign, but that is nothing compared to the 70 hours per week she worked this summer.
Freeman explained the work has its advantages.
"It's been a great opportunity for me to meet really inspiring people," she said. "I got to meet the President twice, Hillary once, and to have a close relationship with people like Dick Swett and Arnie Arneson."
