Politics

Are You Talking to Me?

What: Discussion: "Are You Talking to Me?"
Where: Wilson Library, 4th Floor
When: Tuesday, October 7, 2008 • Noon - 1 p.m.
Free and open to the public.

A discussion between U of M psychology professor Mark Snyder and students about student engagement in the election process and ways to motivate students to vote. He will be joined by students from MPIRG, MSA, and designers of student voting posters. A public display of the U of M student “Why Vote?� posters will serve as a backdrop and discussion piece.

Free pizza and drinks will be available, and attendees will be able to register to vote at the event as well as submit online pledges stating the reason they are voting, for which door prizes will be given at the end.

Post event news:
Thanks to everyone who attended the event. Glad to hear from many that you thought it was a really good program. Some of you asked for a copy of the Rock the Vote research that Professor Snyder talked about. Find it here: (available remotely to U of MN affiliates) "Rocking the Vote: Using Personalized Messages to Motivate Voting Among Young Adults" by Diana Burgess, Beth Haney, Mark Snyder, John L. Sullivan, and John E. Transue.

Posted by Mary Schoenborn at 4:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

This morning's MidMorning program on MPR offered an interesting perspective on recent research related to shifting polling practices. Pollster are discussing the validity of their results when they continue to use traditional methods, such as the land line telephone, to reach likely voters. What about all of those people - mostly under the age of 30 - who only have a cell phone?

So do you have a land line - and are you a first time voter?

Link to the program page to hear the show and find links to the research.
The People Behind the Polls

Posted by Mary Schoenborn at 11:54 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Voter registration forms and information guides are now available at 16 library circulation and/or reference desks around campus. "Register to Vote at University Libraries" posters (Download file) will soon be displayed around campus directing users to our libraries.

We have created a staff page and ask that all public service staff read the short Instructions for Registrants guide, be familiar with the Libraries' Guide to the 2008 Elections (all listed under "What will staff need to do?"), and be ready to refer questions to the Secretary of State's office as appropriate. The participating service desks and the instructional materials available at each service point are listed here as well.

To further support the voting effort, the group has designed "how do I vote/why should I vote" bookmarks for wide distribution and developed websites that bring together first time voter information, as well as candidate and library resource information. Please visit the Libraries Voter Registration website and be sure to share this site broadly.

The Libraries Voter Registration group is also partnering with other campus and library organizations. Specific programs and events are in the works, so watch the website listed above for more details.
Thank you to the many library staff who are contributing to this very important outreach effort!

Posted by Mary Schoenborn at 2:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Wednesday, September 17, 7 - 9 pm. judicial selection issues forum at
Temple Israel in cooperation with WATCH and the Hennepin County Bar
Association.

2324 Emerson Avenue South, Minneapolis
Thursday, October 2, 5 - 8 pm. Meet candidates at Shout! in Block E, and
fundraiser for LWVMpls. $10 entry.
650 Hennepin Avenue, Minneapolis

* Tuesday, October 7, 12-2 p.m. Judicial candidates forum at the Hennepin
County Bar Association, with WATCH.
600 Nicollet Mall, Suite 390, Minneapolis

Posted by Mary Schoenborn at 10:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Missed the sold-out event on Friday afternoon? You can still watch the video of the entire program.

Panelists were:
Michele Norris of NPR
Doyle McManus of the LA Times
John Dickerson of Slate Magazine
Michael Duffy of TIME Magazine

Want to read more? Link to the U of MN Libraries National Journal publications. subscriptions.

Posted by tris0020 at 2:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)