Wil Hammond
UTM College Democrats
Are you feeling like your vote didn’t count? On the news you hear that young people didn’t turn out to vote in this election despite the efforts of many.
Well this just isn’t so at least not in our corner of the world.
UTM students turned out in record numbers this election.
UTM students re-elected State Rep. Mark Maddox, State Senator Roy Herron, U.S. Congressman John Tanner and even voted to send John Kerry to the White house, by a 530-499 margin.
The turnout almost doubled in this election versus 2000.
So UTM stand proud, your voice was heard.
On a separate note I would like to thank the students, faculty and staff that participated in this years election and all of the College Democrats.
Due to your hard work we had a successful Rally the Vote event with media coverage from all over West Tennessee, a successful voter registration drive and a successful election day for Democrats across our area.
Thank you.
In the coming days and months both sides are going to be making claims to victory but the true winner in this election was not the Democrats or the Republicans it was America.
On Election Day we saw many right here on this campus brave the rain and cold to cast their vote.
That is true Democracy.
The ballot box for Weakley County’s sixth voting district, home to all of the University of Tennessee at Martin’s residents and surrounding community, once again went solidly for the Democrats.
2004 General Election
Trinity Presbyterian Church (Martin, TN)
John Kerry (D) - 530
George W. Bush (R) - 499
Source: Weakley County Election Commission
This isn’t the first time in recent history that the UTM Democrats have won this ballot box.
2000 General Election
Trinity Presbyterian Church (Martin, TN)
Al Gore (D) - 389
George W. Bush (R) - 343
Source: Weakley County Election Commission
Although the vote nationally did not go our way, we are very proud of the work we did in helping local Democrats keep their seats in the US House and state legislature.
2004 General Election
All polling locations
US House District 8
John Tanner (D) - 171,694
James L. Hart (R) - 59,602
Jim Maynard (R) - 85
State Senate District 24
Roy Herron (D) - 43,812
Dennis J. Doster (R) - 24,079
State House District 76
Mark Maddox (D) - 16,690 (Unopposed)
State House District 77
Phillip Pinion (D) - 15,238
Shelly Arnett (R) - 6,996
The UTM College Democrats thank each and every one of our members, supporters and fellow Democrats for the outstanding job well-done this election season. But the fight is far, far from over. Join StudentCorps today to continue our fight to be Stronger at Home, Respected in the World.
The UT Martin College Democrats remind students that registered voters who live on campus should cast their ballots at Trinity Presbyterian Church, next door to the Sigma Phi Epsilon House, across from the former site of Austin Peay Hall.
Vote for John Kerry to be the next President of the United States!
College students at UT Martin united behind the message of Democratic candidates on the eve of the election and encouraged young voters to make it to the polls on Nov. 2.
Rep. John Tanner, state Sen. Roy Herron and state Rep. Mark Maddox spoke during the College Democrats ‘Rally the Vote,’ that took place at 5 p.m. Monday night in the University Center Game Room.
Battery Horse, a local band opened the stage prior to Rep. Maddox taking the stage. Maddox, who is unopposed in his race for the state House seat, encouraged students that a vote for Sen. Herron was a vote for a strong man who would do the right things for all Tennesseans.
Herron says that when asked why he’s at UT Martin the day before the election that he tells everyone, “Because this is home.” Herron told the crowd that as senator, he will continue to work for a balanced budget in Tennessee. He also stressed the needs of addressing higher education and the use of the drug methamphetamine (meth) in rural areas that Herron says is destroying families.
Rep. Tanner’s message was one of the needs of Washington being fiscally conservative. “No administration since 1776 has been this fiscally irresponsible,” Tanner said.
College Democrats President Wil Hammond says the organization’s purpose tonight was to unite the base of youth voters and make sure that they make it to the polls.
“Students haven’t voted in mass numbers in the past. We feel this election is vitally important and we want as many young voters to get to the polls as possible,” Hammond said.
“Everyone knows that the presidential election is going to be close. But we must remember that college students have other important decisions to make in the state elections as well. When all votes are counted, we are confident that West Tennessee will deliver many victories to Democratic candidates,” Hammond added.
Posted in Press Releases, Campaign 2004