Lana Cobb wants one thing on November 2 - for people to vote.
The past president of the Delaware Chapter of the AAUW (formerly known as the American Association of University Women) feels the only way change can happen on a local, state or national level is if people go to the polls.
“We want our members to get out and vote,” she said. “You’d be surprised how many members don’t. That scares me. We want them to go out and vote and not tell them who to vote for. They’re big girls.”
The AAUW claims a network of over 100,000 members and donors nationwide working toward the organization’s goal to advance equity for women and girls through advocacy, education, philanthropy, and research. The Delaware chapter and its nearly 500 members join the League of Women Voters of Delaware among the ranks of local, non-partisan organizations working to get out the vote this election cycle.
“Organizations like the League of Women Voters have always been very effective in providing information about candidates and election process to the general public,” said Ed Freel, policy scientist and instructor at the University of Delaware and Manager of The Democracy Project. “To the extent that many potential voters offer lack of knowledge as a reason not to vote. The work of the League and similar groups would make it more likely that they would vote.”
To facilitate its members’ awareness of candidates’ stands on issues, increase public and political awareness of the AAUW and its beliefs and to increase voter turn-out, Cobb and member Jean Wastler wrote and were awarded a grant by the national AAUW.
As part of the grant AAUW members attend candidate forums and debates and ask candidates questions pertinent to the mission of the organization. These issues include questions about whether candidates support the Paycheck Fairness Act, Dream Act, Purchase of Care. The organization plans to have members at each debate and forum until the election. Cobb and Wastler see the AAUW’s presence as a way to learn and inform voters about candidates’ stances on issues, but also as an opportunity to teach politicians about the organization.
At the forums AAUW members write comment cards about the candidates and then share the information with members throughout the state. Before the election members will receive a report that states how each candidate feels about issues that are important to the AAUW, said Cobb.
Many of the forums AAUW members attend are sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Delaware. That organization is concentrating much of its effort on voter registration and creating forums for voters to learn about candidates.
Many non-voters say their lack of knowledge about the candidates or lack of familiarity with the voting process stops them from going to the polls, Freel said.
“The work of the League and similar organizations would help remove that barrier for many,” Freel said.
The organization often finds that young people don’t understand the political process, and that they are sometimes confused about or disinterested in voting, Barbara Mullin, voters services chair of the League of Women Voters for Sussex County said.
“It was interesting last night and the night before, a couple of us went to Sussex Tech to do voter education,” Mullin said. “Quite a few people have no idea that they’re supposed to choose their party – they don’t know the difference. We tell them that if you register as an independent as you learn more about it you have the right to come in and change your party. A lot of them don’t know what a primary is. There is a terrific lack of (voter) education with a lot of young people. I find it quite disturbing.”
