Florida residents will be voting in statewide primaries Aug. 24. The general elections are Nov. 2.
While the UF College Democrats organization does not endorse candidates for the primary elections, club president Kristin Klein said she encourages everyone to vote.
“Voting is one of the easiest direct forms of political action,” she said.
Klein, an economics and political science senior, said the UF College Democrats will have a voter registration drive this semester.
The deadline for Floridians to register to vote for the primary election passed on July 26, but the deadline for the general election is Oct. 4.
Both Klein and Carly Wilson, president of the UF College Republicans, said it’s important for freshmen to register in Gainesville.
Klein added that it’s not too late for students to change their residence for voter registration. Students can change their residence to Gainesville up to the day they vote, she said.
On Aug. 8, Kendrick Meek, one of four candidates running for the Democratic nomination for Florida’s U.S. Senate race, visited Gainesville in an effort to raise support.
During his stop at the Alachua County Education Association, Meek talked about promoting business in Florida, universal health care, environmentally friendly legislation and taking care of servicemen and women who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder.
He called his primary battle with Jeff Greene, a businessman who moved to Florida two years ago, a “dress rehearsal” for the general election.
“There are political battles that I’ve read about and wished I was a part of, and I’m blessed and honored to be a part of this one,” Meek said.
In an interview, Meek said he would try to earmark research dollars for Florida universities because it helps bring jobs and create economic opportunities.
Meek views the general election, which will likely be against Florida Gov. Charlie Crist and former Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives Marco Rubio, as a race against two Republicans, even though Crist registered as an independent.
Of the main candidates for U.S. Senate and Florida governor, two are UF alumni.
Rubio attended Santa Fe Community College and graduated from UF in 1993. Gubernatorial hopeful Bill McCollum earned both his bachelor’s and law degrees at UF.
The College Democrats’ first meeting of the school year will be Sept. 2 at 7 p.m. at Pugh Hall, Room 120, Klein said.
The College Republicans’ first meeting will be Aug. 26 at 6 p.m. in the Reitz Union, Room 374.
The Students for the Preservation of Freedom, a libertarian group not associated with either party, has not announced the time of its first fall meeting, according to the group’s secretary, William Tew.
