College Students and the Primary

Some dates: (0.00 / 0)

2008 classes start:

Keene State: 1/20
Plymouth: 1/23 or so; "Winterim" for primary
UNH: 1/22
FPU: 1/22
Dartmouth: 1/7

So yeah, we will probably have far fewer students voting this time. (The 2004 primary was Jan 27th.)

Yes, the students who come "home" from Ohio or California could vote instead. But there is minimal GOTV opportunity.

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by: elwood @ Wed Dec 05, 2007 at 21:19:10 PM CST

College students and the primary (0.00 / 0)

It will be less fun.  College students always provide so much energy and enthusiasm.  Of course, students who live in New Hampshire will still be here along with some who come to stay during the semester break.

I think, on the Republican side, Huckabee and Ron Paul are the most popular with students so they will be hurt the most. That's just from casual observation -- not any particular information.

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by: calvin @ Wed Dec 05, 2007 at 21:57:06 PM CST

Little reminder. (0.00 / 0)

Plenty of college kids are leaving New Hampshire to go home, but plenty others, such as I, will be coming home to New Hampshire, and voting in the Primary.

--
"Act as if ye have faith and faith shall be given to you." -Aaron Sorkin

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by: Douglas E. Lindner @ Wed Dec 05, 2007 at 22:26:53 PM CST

I did think of that (0.00 / 0)

Not sure where stats would be available about the net effect... but my guess is there will be more "Home" (out of state) than will be "Home" (in state).

where are you going to work Manch area?

Hope > Fear




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by: Mike Hoefer @ Wed Dec 05, 2007 at 22:35:57 PM CST

[ Parent ]

"where are you going to work Manch area?" (0.00 / 0)

I've live in Manchester proper.  I was the very first intern for Richardson in New Hampshire, from May to the end of August, and during that time I worked at what was then the state headquarters.  That office is now the Manchester Regional Field office, and the state headquarters is elsewhere in Manchester.  I'm not quite sure what what my former co-workers will have me doing, but I'm ready to do what needs to be done.

By the way, both the Regional office and the State HQ are in the North End.

--
"Act as if ye have faith and faith shall be given to you." -Aaron Sorkin

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by: Douglas E. Lindner @ Wed Dec 05, 2007 at 22:51:18 PM CST

[ Parent ]

not sure if it might be a wash (0.00 / 0)

Most of the colleges in NH are public rather than private- and the private ones have decent shares of NH natives.

Keene State has been registering students but there is always a big share that  take the leap Election Day.

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by: Kathleen O'Donnell @ Thu Dec 06, 2007 at 07:39:58 AM CST

[ Parent ]

Absentee balloting (0.00 / 0)

As I am integrely involved with UNH Students for Obama, we are doing HUGE absentee balloting drives.  We have registered hundreds and plan to register many more and start getting them out to the Town Clerk's office, starting Dec. 10, to get them registered and fill out their ballots.  Come by UNH if you want to see a major grassroots movement amongst students helping to influence our primary with a youthful voice.

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by: Northwoods @ Thu Dec 06, 2007 at 02:24:28 AM CST

Student Voting (0.00 / 0)

The Republicans you overheard must have been referencing the so called "fraudulent" student voting issue that the Republicans raise every election.  There is always the give and take between whether the students are actually living in the state in order to qualify to take a ballot. Many Republicans feel that students, who are going to school here with parents living out of state, should not be eligible to vote here. Of course, the law states otherwise.

I have not heard much complaining here in New Hampshire, but I have read that it has become an issue in Iowa because Senator Obama's campaign is working hard to recruit non-Iowan students to caucus at their Iowa colleges.

A Barack Obama campaign brochure is directing out-of-state college students who may be on holiday break to "come back for the Iowa caucus and caucus in your college neighborhood."

There is much sensitivity among the campaigns about the issue.  In early November, Senator Dodd's campaign asked all the Democratic campaigns to adhere to a pledge that they would not allow their campaign staff and volunteers from out of state to caucus in Iowa. All the campaigns, except for Governor Richardson, agreed.

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by: gradysdad @ Thu Dec 06, 2007 at 05:41:04 AM CST

Not sure if you knew this... (0.00 / 0)

the bottom line in NH is residency.  If you are a resident in NH with the intent to stay for an indefinite period you can vote in NH.  Clinton, Obama, Paul- anyone-  can all encourage students to vote in NH and will be backed up by the NH Attorney's General Office and US Supreme Court decision.

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by: Kathleen O'Donnell @ Thu Dec 06, 2007 at 07:42:44 AM CST

[ Parent ]

Complicated. (0.00 / 0)

Yes, but it's also a complicated process.  The absentee ballot has to be either picked up in person, after they've been printed up, or a request has to be made to have the ballot sent and then it has to be sent back--on time.  And then there's the question of whether/how they will be counted.  In places where there are still paper ballots, it may be less problematic.  I don't know about the others.  The campaigns should probably have someone working on it with local voter registrars and election officials.

I was, frankly, shocked that the ACLU sent lawyers to Durham in 2004 because they'd had reports that the student vote was not welcome by some of the election officials.  Not that they sent them; but that they considered it necessary.

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by: hannah @ Thu Dec 06, 2007 at 09:18:38 AM CST

[ Parent ]

I don't believe there is an (0.00 / 0)

"intent to stay for an indefinite period" requirement.

Any more than I lost my voting rights in the months leading up to a planned job move.

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by: elwood @ Thu Dec 06, 2007 at 12:53:11 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Not what I meant (4.00 / 2)

I meant that there is not a requirement that one reside here for a definite period of time.  One can vote and immeidately move- students don't have to swear to live here permanently or register your car.  This is what drives the ant-voting people nuts.

654:1 [Legal] Voter; Office Holder.

I. Every inhabitant of the state, having a  single established domicile for voting purposes, being a citizen of the United States, of the age provided for in Article 11 of Part First of the Constitution of New Hampshire, shall have a right at any meeting or election, to vote in the town, ward, or unincorporated place in which he or she is domiciled.  An inhabitant's domicile for voting purposes is that one place where a person, more than any other place, has established a physical presence and manifests an intent to maintain a single continuous presence for domestic, social, and civil purposes relevant to participating in democratic self-government. A person has the right to change domicile at any time, however a mere intention to change domicile in the future does not, of itself, terminate an established domicile before the person actually moves.

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by: Kathleen O'Donnell @ Thu Dec 06, 2007 at 14:56:07 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Public, private enrollment (0.00 / 0)

As of 2005, there were 31,030 students in public, 24,718 in private post-secondary institutions in NH.

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by: elwood @ Thu Dec 06, 2007 at 08:14:40 AM CST