As the November election draws closer, many young voters are trying to stir up political engagement among their peers, partisan or not.
That push extended to the campus of the University of Tulsa Wednesday night, when TU’s Student Economic Association invited one of the city’s two mayoral candidates for a Q&A.
Over a dozen students showed up to ask Oklahoma House Rep. Monroe Nichols about his policy positions and thoughts about TU itself, of which he is an alumnus.
“My only criticism about my wonderful alma mater is that we need to grow,” Nichols said. “All the cities that we’re in some level of competition with… many of them have large, four-year institutions.”
Cyrus Carter, a senior and president of the Student Economic Association, said he reached out to Nichols’ campaign “on a whim.”
Carter wants other young people to be civically engaged, especially in local politics.
“My biggest takeaway from this event is the importance [of] questioning those that are running for public office,” Carter said.
“They need your vote. They work for you,” Carter said. “You pay them with your taxpayer dollars, therefore, you have a vested interest.”
Students set up a table at the Q&A event to help fellow classmates register to vote.
“Tulsa doesn’t have the largest voter turnout,” Carter said.
“Anyone, regardless of your degree,” he said, “you are going to be affected by who is mayor, who is governor, who is president.”
Nichols is running against Tulsa County Commissioner Karen Keith.
Both candidates came out on top in the Aug. 27 elections. A runoff is set for Nov. 5.
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Edited by Michael Marcotte.
Produced with assistance from the Public Media Journalists Association Editor Corps funded by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private corporation funded by the American people.
