NH likely to play big role in final outcome

All eyes are on the Nov. 6 presidential election, when voters will cast their ballots in the race for the White House. President Barack Obama and GOP candidate Mitt Romney are working hard to rack up support in critical battleground states such as Ohio, Florida and Colorado.


With four days to go, both campaigns are making a valid and convincing argument as to why they will have the edge on Tuesday. A number of polls show Romney falling just short of the president in this region, yet Romney’s campaign team continues to argue for a win for the GOP candidate, as his advisers are pointing to higher voting intensity and to Romney’s strong performance with a number of groups that were key to Obama’s victory back in 2008.   

In a “Swing State Polls” survey drawn up by the New York Times, undecided voters were split down the middle in terms of whom they would choose when heading to the polls Tuesday. When asked to describe the level of enthusiasm when voting in this year’s election compared to past presidential elections, the percentages among voters whose level of enthusiasm remained the same and among those who felt their enthusiasm was increased also remained split down the middle.


It appears that the nation is very much on the fence about which candidate it will choose, and the mindset of many UNH students is just as divided. With New Hampshire labeled as a swing state, this characteristic is certainly nothing out of the ordinary.


“It has been great living in a swing state and seeing both candidates working so hard, and even getting to meet both candidates as well as Bill Clinton, in the area,” said Maggie Donovan, a senior at UNH.


Despite meeting both candidates, Donovan said she thinks the momentum is undoubtedly in Romney’s favor.


“Mitt is running a positive campaign about getting people back to work while Obama is trying to distract us from his previous four years in office,” she said. “As a young woman set to graduate in May, it is important to have a strong economy and health-care system to go into, and both of these aspects have gotten worse under Obama. Romney is set to win Tuesday and make a real change in the next four years.”


While some students hope for a change greater than one Obama can promise, others are more concerned with Romney’s stance on more personal issues, such as the distribution of birth control and the support of gay marriage.


As a woman, and a part of the LGBT+ community, senior Danette Perez said it is hard for her to consider issues such as the budget, job security, and environmental protection when she feels that her own liberties are also at stake.


“While Obama does not personally support gay marriage, he at least understands that stopping others from loving who they choose is unjust,” she said. “I am scared that if Obama does not win, I will lose my rights as a woman to make decisions about my own body. I am scared that I will lose my right to marry, and that much hatred and opposition against the LGBT+ community will be supported and encouraged by the next president of the United States.”

[Editor's note: Obama has actually come out in support of gay marriage, contrary to Perez's quote]

As the desire to vote aims to become a widespread epidemic across college campuses, political organizations at UNH— the university College Democrats and Republicans — are encouraging every student to get out and vote in such a critical election.


Dean of Students Anne Lawing sent out an email for UNH community members who are voting at Oyster River High School in Durham and want a ride to and from campus, there will be a clearly marked UNH shuttle making stops at Sawyer Hall and Holloway Commons from 9 a.m. until 7 p.m.  

Also included in the email were voting instructions regarding forms of identification one must bring to the polls. In order to vote, one must prove age, domicile, citizenship and identity. More information is available on the Secretary of State’s website.  

For members of the UNH community who wish to watch for the results on Tuesday night, MUB Director MaryAnne Lustgraaf said CSPAN will be playing on the big screen in Union Court.