No athletics activities on Election Day

[Techster]

 

[TooTall]

That’s the only thing I’m worried about. Most likely we know who they’re going to pushed to vote for

I don't any coach at GT saying "We want them to vote so we're taking the day off for the SA voices to be heard", only to tell them who to vote for. Seems very very ungenuine which our coaches most certainty are not.

 

[Gold1]

I don't any coach at GT saying "We want them to vote so we're taking the day off for the SA voices to be heard", only to tell them who to vote for. Seems very very ungenuine which our coaches most certainty are not.

I don’t think our coaches would do that but some other programs definitely will. This is still a good thing to do though

 

[jimradz]

Just a question.. does it really take all day to vote? Can’t we just give the morning off? I vote every year, and maybe I have been lucky, but it hasn’t taken me any More then 20 minutes to complete. (Different towns/cities and states over many years)

However, it makes sense if the athletes have to travel back to their hometown.. and also it may be the symbolic nature of things.

 

[CheCha54]

Uh...it is symbolic. That's kind of the point. Symbols are important.

Uh...it is symbolic. That's kind of the point. Symbols are important.

I hope Duke takes that day off as well. I don't see where the day off actually helps them vote unless they live within an hours drive of campus. They still have classes.

 

[smokey_wasp]

Just a question.. does it really take all day to vote? Can’t we just give the morning off? I vote every year, and maybe I have been lucky, but it hasn’t taken me any More then 20 minutes to complete. (Different towns/cities and states over many years)

However, it makes sense if the athletes have to travel back to their hometown.. and also it may be the symbolic nature of things.

In Presidential elections, it has taken me up to an hour. But the point is letting the players know we care what they think and we want them to make their voices heard.

 

[TechCubed]

Just a question.. does it really take all day to vote? Can’t we just give the morning off? I vote every year, and maybe I have been lucky, but it hasn’t taken me any More then 20 minutes to complete. (Different towns/cities and states over many years)

However, it makes sense if the athletes have to travel back to their hometown.. and also it may be the symbolic nature of things.

I think the point is that between academics and athletics, the day is pretty full. Subtract 2-3 hours of athletics commitments out of the day, and they'll have a chance to vote.

I believe the student center is a polling location, so if they are registered in on-campus housing, it's a convenient process.

 

[HurricaneJacket]

Understand, but i am literally curious where they physically vote while a student.

I voted absentee

 

[stech81]

I voted absentee

Is absentee a Republican or a Democrat ?

 

[Supersizethatorder-mutt]

I voted absentee

Back in the 60s, even as a freshman, since the voting age in Georgia was 18, I voted absentee.

 

[SteamWhistle]

This is good press for the program but not sure about how practical it will be.

 

[TechCubed]

I think some people are missing the point. Will Georgia Tech help more student-athletes vote? Yes.

That's it. Waiting in line, early voting, absentee are all valid methods. They are sending a clear message that athletic commitments won't be the excuse for not voting (if they choose to wait in line). Their target audience are 18-22 year-olds who have never voted in a presidential election (and might not even be registered to vote), not a 50-year-old living in the suburbs.

It's been really cool to see the impact that this has made nationwide. There are tons of tweets from non-GT fans tagging their own school's athletics department and/or coaches urging them to do the same. I hope the student-athletes embrace this and serve as catalysts to get their peers to vote as well.

 

[Buzz1126]

I think the elephant in the room is that a lot of Republicans (everywhere not just on this thread) are concerned institutions will push student athletes to vote a certain way. While that may be true short term, long term if enough people want to make the world a better place, then the world will become a great place. Encourage it.

 

[TheSilasSonRising]

I think some people are missing the point. Will Georgia Tech help more student-athletes vote? Yes.

That's it. Waiting in line, early voting, absentee are all valid methods. They are sending a clear message that athletic commitments won't be the excuse for not voting (if they choose to wait in line). Their target audience are 18-22 year-olds who have never voted in a presidential election (and might not even be registered to vote), not a 50-year-old living in the suburbs.

It's been really cool to see the impact that this has made nationwide. There are tons of tweets from non-GT fans tagging their own school's athletics department and/or coaches urging them to do the same. I hope the student-athletes embrace this and serve as catalysts to get their peers to vote as well.

Good points.

I had previously posted what exactly TStan meant by providing resources (or wtte) to S/As. If the program has integrity it will be neutral - and I assume by law they can not push an agenda. We would end up with egg on our face if they do. Need to make sure this good pub pays off.

I did read something (a response) elsewhere that could, during all this down time, someone not have been helping players understand about early voting and absentee voting?

Bad thing I see is that some of our teams are asking other teams to break a game contract already made. Perhaps a kink.

 

[TheSilasSonRising]

I think the elephant in the room is that a lot of Republicans (everywhere not just on this thread) are concerned institutions will push student athletes to vote a certain way. While that may be true short term, long term if enough people want to make the world a better place, then the world will become a great place. Encourage it.

I would think any "pushing" like that might be illegal and certainly unethical.

If done this will turn into a negative.

 

[85Escape]

I just want people to vote. Being neither an elephant nor a donkey, I want people to understand that the place to change the government is at the polls not in the streets. I just hope people also understand that not getting what you want at the polls is also an acceptable outcome.

 

[TheSilasSonRising]

I just want people to vote. Being neither an elephant nor a donkey, I want people to understand that the place to change the government is at the polls not in the streets. I just hope people also understand that not getting what you want at the polls is also an acceptable outcome.

You go straight to hel...

Just kidding.

 

[smokey_wasp]

I think the elephant in the room is that a lot of Republicans (everywhere not just on this thread) are concerned institutions will push student athletes to vote a certain way. While that may be true short term, long term if enough people want to make the world a better place, then the world will become a great place. Encourage it.

I dont think there will be any pushing. Whether they vote the same as me is irrelevant.

 

[CuseJacket]

The players are of age to think for themselves and I expect that they will. I don't see any reason to believe our coaches would push them one way or another, other than pure conjecture. And even if they do, I doubt the coaches have any greater influence than the players' parents, friends, relatives, girlfriends, media, etc. Just like the rest of the U.S.

 

[CuseJacket]

Separately, after you've voted on election day at the booth one time in greater Atlanta, you'll realize the benefits of early voting and absentee voting.

And, if we're still social distancing this November, good luck to those working out the logistics and managing expectations. Would have been a great senior design project.