Voters wanted

A campus-wide voter registration drive is being sponsored by several student organizations on Monday and Tuesday, September 27-28, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on top of Cardiac Hill, outside the UC, outside Fletcher Hall, and at Douglas and Vine Streets.

“With this being a presidential election year, it is vital that we make sure that everyone is registered to vote and actually votes,” said Travis Overton, president of Alpha Phi Alpha. “We will also have information for absentee voters. Please make sure that you are registered to vote as we approach the election that will determine our nation's future.”

Sponsoring groups include:

Student Government Association, Alpha Phi Alpha, Alpha Kappa Alpha, Kappa Alpha Psi, Delta Sigma Theta, Zeta Phi Beta, International Student Organization, National Society for Black Engineers, Multicultural Student Association, Collegiate Christian Fellowship, LH Mason Singers, Sigma Gamma Rho, Political Science Club, Women's Action Council.

If you have any questions please contact Travis Overton.

Students can also register to vote on-line.

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The campus political groups invite all students to get involved:

College Democrats
The UTC College Democrats meet Thursdays at 4:00 pm in Fletcher 113.
Please email or visit their website.

College Republicans
College Republicans are kicking off their weekly meetings Thursday,
September 23, at 5:30 p.m. in the Signal Mtn Room upstairs UC.

Campus Greens
UTC Campus Greens Meeting
Date: Monday, October 4, 2004
Time: 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm
Location: UC/ Signal Mountain Room

Campus Libertarians
Campus Libertarians meet the first Tuesday of every month at 7 p.m. at the Town and Country Restaurant with the Hamilton County Libertarian Party. An upcoming meeting on campus is scheduled for Thursday, September 30, in the Riverbend Room of the UC at 7 p.m.

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For those already considering their options in the race for U.S. president, an alternative to the Democratic and Republican candidates came to speak on campus recently.

Voting for the Libertarian candidate in the U.S. presidential might be like throwing away a vote to some, but not to Michael Badnarik. Campus Libertarians brought their presidential candidate to campus, where Badnarik spoke to students and faculty at the University Center this week.

“The only wasted vote is when you vote for someone you do not respect,” Badnarik said. Badnarik explained that although many people believe Libertarians support a liberal point of view, both liberals and conservatives populate the party.

“We are all in favor of liberty. Think of us as ‘liberty-terians.’ Libertarians are very big on the Bill of Rights, and the Bill of Rights is not negotiable,” Badnarik said.

Badnarik became interested in the U.S. Constitution in 1983 and began a life-long journey in self-study of this document. Badnarik was the Libertarian candidate for Texas House of Representatives in the Austin, Texas, area in 2000 and 2002.

“The way we want to make your life better is to dramatically cut the federal government,” Badnarik said.

Although his name will appear on the ballet in most states, Badnarik was not permitted to join President George Bush and Democratic candidate John Kerry in the upcoming presidential debates.

“Keep in mind that 50 contestants recently participated in the Miss America contest. I think voting for the President of the United States is slightly more important than that, and we deserve to hear from more than two candidates,” Badnarik said. “The candidates’ questions will be scripted, their answers will be scripted, and it will be more like a Broadway play. I would discuss issues George Bush and John Kerry would like to avoid.”

An independent computer consultant since 2001, Badnarik’s career began in 1977 for Commonwealth Edison at the nuclear power plant in Zion, Illinois where he taught control room operators about computers.