Election2004:

Sign Up For Election 2004 Programming Updates

Online Voter Registration Tool

National Residence Hall Election Program - September 30, 2004

Join other residence hall staff members around the country in a National Residence Hall Election Program! This non-partisan program is aimed at increasing voter awareness and participation in the upcoming elections.

WHEN: September 30, 2004 - 8:30pm EST

WHAT: A program to get your residents together to watch the debate (9pm EST) and hold a facilitated discussion afterwards.

HOW:

• Start publicity now for this program! Use flyers, contact your campus newspaper, utilize any other means of advertising on your campus.
  • Here are some flyers to get you started: Debate Watch Flyer | Debate Watch Flyer 2
• Secure the space. Be sure you have a television and seating available.
• Food. Consider contacting local business to request donations for food for this event, or plan to purchase food and/or beverages if your budget allows for it.
  
  
• Before the debate:
  
  • At 8:30, turn on the television to the channel you will be watching the debate on, but keep the volume off.
  • Serve your beverages & refreshments, then do a brief introduction of the program. Let the residents know you will be watching the entire debate, and will hold a discussion afterwards. You may wish to suggest some things to watch out for during the debate, such as issues of interest to them (were they covered sufficiently, if at all?), do your impressions of the candidates change during the debate, etc. (see the questions below for more ideas).
  • Consider passing out paper and pens for note-taking
  • Ask everyone to introduce themselves.
    
    
• After the debate concludes, turn off the television and start the discussion
  • Emphasize as you start that this is an opportunity for an educated discussion. Encourage people to remain civil, listen to one another's viewpoints, and be respectful of one another.
  • If it is a large group, divide into smaller discussion groups of 10-12 people.
  • Start by asking the questions below and feel free to add your own.
    • Why did you decide to participate in this program?
    • What role does politics play in your everyday life?
    • Did the debate influence your attitudes about the issues or the candidates?
    • Were there any issues of interest not discussed during the debate?
    • Were there any issues raised that you considered irrelevant or unimportant?
    • What did you learn about the candidates or issues that you did not know prior to the debate?
    • How will participating in this program affect the way you read, watch, or discuss the election?
    • What did you learn from this debate that you did not learn from the previous debate(s)?
      *Questions adapted from debates.org
      
      
• After the program, visit the discussion boards at ResidentAssistant.com and let everyone know how it went. If you took pictures, please post them here.