Candidates and organizations are trying to bring out as many voters as possible for the Tuesday’s midterm election, though some students are questioning the effectiveness of advertisements and campaigning.
The election has been the most expensive election in years, both regionally and nationally, with a large portion of the money paying for advertisements.
Candidates in congressional races across the country have spent about $4 billion this year, according to the Center for Responsive Politics, which tracks campaign spending. More than $15 million has gone toward supporting candidates running for congressional, state and local seats to represent the district that includes Westwood.
Karen Singh, a third-year human biology and society student, said she heard about the election through mail, television and Internet. Even though she was aware of the election through those mediums, she said the materials did not have much of an impact on her.
“Ads here are a lot more aggressive and the frequency makes me ignore them that much more,” she said.
Though much of the money has gone toward advertisements, campaign managers for candidates running in local races said they are also working to reach voters through door-to-door campaigning and phone banking.
“The first priority is to make sure everyone who is supporting us goes to the polls,” said Sarah Dusseault, a campaign manager for Bobby Shriver.
Shriver is running to represent the district encompassing Westwood on the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors.
Dusseault added that volunteers are identifying people who would support Shriver and informing them how and where they can vote. The campaign is focusing on supporting local community activists and promoting Shriver through social media, Dusseault said.
Madeleine Moore, a campaign manager for former state Sen. Sheila Kuehl, who is running against Shriver, said her campaign has been emailing supporters and voters, and going door to door to contact people.
Kuehl’s campaign members are not targeting certain people, but are rather reaching out to people whom they think are likely to vote, Moore said.
Ted Lieu, who is running for Congress in the district that includes Westwood, said he wants to leave no community untouched. He said the campaign will reach out to as many people as possible on election day.
Some student advocacy organizations on campus have been making a push to get as many students out to vote in the last days before the election.
Maxwell Love, vice president of the United States Student Association, said the group is working with student governments across the country to get as many people to the polls as possible. The association advocates on behalf of college and university students.
However, a general sentiment of voter apathy has made voter registration difficult for campaigns and organizations.
According to a Gallup poll in early October, only 33 percent of voters said they had given at least some thought to the election, compared to 46 percent of voters who said they did in 2010. The primary turnout in California this year reached its lowest mark in nearly 100 years, with about 18 percent of eligible voters casting ballots.
The Undergraduate Students Association Council External Vice President’s office also worked to encourage students to register to vote for the election. The office registered about 2,000 new voters, far short of the more than 5,000 it originally aimed for.
Kelly Moore, a UCLA Extension student, said she has heard a lot about the election, especially about ballot propositions on television. Still, she said the advertisements haven’t changed her mind.
“Commercials are very misleading and include bias and misinformation,” she said.
The election will be held Tuesday, with polling booths opening across the region at 7 a.m. and closing at 8 p.m.
Contributing reports from Kat Bocanegra-Speed, Shreya Maskara and Edward Pedroza, Bruin contributors.