The Ohio University College Democrats and Republicans, or OUCDs and OUCRs, respectively, have spent time preparing for the upcoming elections through a variety of strategies.
Preparation begins almost immediately after previous elections or when students return back to campus in the fall.
Both organizations are preparing for the 2019 local elections and the 2020 elections.
“When one election ends, regardless of the outcome, we start planning for the next one pretty much right after,” Meah McCallister, OUCD president, said in an email. “If we get a good outcome, we use that feeling to motivate us for more change and good that we can enact. If we don't get the outcome we want, it makes us work even harder to keep fighting for change.”
OUCR began preparing for local elections this fall in a number of ways, including door knocking.
“This fall we did some work for some local elections like door knocking for a candidate running to be the Mayor of Belpre as well as city councilmen in Hilliard. Some members have been making calls and volunteering with the Ohio Republican Party to help with other local races,” Kailey Gentner, OUCR president, said in an email. “We’ve also been volunteering with the Kentucky Republican Party, making phone calls for their upcoming general election.”
OUCRs has also been focusing on recruitment through tabling. The hope is that OUCRs can grow its numbers and be ready for the 2020 election year.
OUCRs preparation for the 2020 election has included continuing to walk in parades for elected officials, such as Congressman Bill Johnson, Congressman Steve Stivers and State Representative Jay Edwards.
Additionally, OUCRs was involved in training that helped with its election preparation.
“Our organization also has done Trump Victory Training where we got voter registration and social media training,” Gentner said in an email. “We used this training and registered voters on campus during national voter registration day.”
For OUCD, when it comes to something as large scale as the 2020 election, a lot of work is through the state party. But the group is already preparing via voter registration and trying to educate as many people as possible on issues the group cares about.
“The more people are educated, the more they are adequately prepared to take action against injustices,” McCallister said in an email.
OUCD strives to provide members with information and opportunities to be able to engage in politics.
“For this year's local election, we have invited all of the candidates to speak at our general body meetings,“ McCallister said in an email. “This way every voice is heard and they are able to speak to our members about their policy platforms while giving our members a direct line for any questions or inquiries on how to volunteer. We have also pushed voter registration as we do every year trying to make sure as many people as possible can be engaged in politics and make their voices heard.”
In addition, OUCD does not endorse candidates.
“We give our members opportunities to volunteer as individuals when they are presented to us, but as an organization, we do not actively campaign for anyone not endorsed by the party. Everyone is entitled to their own opinions,” McCallister said in an email.
Despite preparing differently last year due to different leadership and elections, the differences in preparation are not very drastic for OUCD.
For OUCRs, each election includes making lots of phone calls, door knocking, walking in parades and volunteering with various campaigns that reach out to OUCRs.
In the fall, OUCR also has a call center. Last year, the center made over 300,000 calls, Gentner said.
“I believe the OUCRS works hard year round for elections and elected officials, which is why we have a good reputation in the state of Ohio for being a very active College Republican chapter,” Gentner said in an email.
The Athens Revolutionary Socialists were contacted in regards to any efforts it has made toward the upcoming election but did not respond to a request for comment.
