Mayor Anthony Williams will be on campus for a primary campaign debate Wednesday in the final days of one of the strangest campaigns the District has ever seen.
The Student Association will host the debate and panel discussion with local journalists featuring the six Democratic mayoral candidates in the Marvin Center Betts Theatre at 7:30 p.m. The event is part of the SA’s
“Your Voice. Your Choice. Your Vote” program.
The panel will include Hamil Harris, a reporter for the Washington Post, City Paper staff writer Elissa Silverman and Hatchet Editor in Chief Kate Stepan.
“We have one of the most political campuses in the country,” SA President Phil Robinson said. “This debate will get students interested in city politics and help make them aware of the issues that effect students and the University.”
The D.C. mayoral primary, set for Sept. 10, promises to be a tense contest with two major candidates, including the incumbent Williams, running as write-ins. Williams will be joined at Wednesday’s debate by candidates James Clark, Osie Thorpe, Douglas Moore, Willie F. Wilson and the individual known as “Faith.”
Williams was widely considered a shoo-in for the Democratic ticket and re-election in the largely Democratic city. This summer, however, Williams was barred from the Democratic ballot after an investigation revealed thousands of names on his nominating petitions were false.
Despite the scandal and ensuing court battle, which resulted in a $277,000 fine by the elections board, Williams is still a front runner in the election contest, according to a recent Washington Post poll.
“Students on this campus are interested in issues that effect them,” said Bernard Demczuk, assistant vice president in the Office of Government Relations. “Students should know that they have influence in the political process and events like this allow them to be plugged into the political system.”
Between 1,500 and 2,000 GW students are eligible to vote in the primary, Robinson said.
“Students outnumber residents nearly two to one in Foggy Bottom,” Robinson said. “Students care about where their tax money goes, issues about the environment and the city in general. Students who vote can impact their university, fellow students and the city.”
Students on campus expressed interest in learning more about D.C. politics that effect them.
“It’s ultimately important to know what changes are happening in the city, but most of us don’t vote because we’re not residents,” junior Adam Chandler said. “If you talk about the issues and how they’re going to effect us, that’s important.
“If you spend a majority of your time in D.C. and if you go to school here, you’re more of a resident,” senior Andrew Anderson said.
“(Students) should at least know what is going on and know who the leaders are.”
Students can get free tickets in the Marvin Center Ticketmaster office.
Robinson said he hopes to “fill the room,” which seats 400, and said the SA is looking into scheduling a second debate between the final two candidates in October.
