In two months, Wisconsinites will vote on the same-sex marriage amendment, but at a Fair Wisconsin student kickoff meeting Wednesday, members and attendees alike said the UW campus vote will be the deciding factor in the Nov. 7 election.
More than 350 people attended the meeting, according to Daniel Spirn, campus communications director for Students for Fair Wisconsin.
""As a university of 40,000 people, we should be able to make some type of impact,"" said UW-Madison sophomore, Jaime Skenandore.
At the meeting, Fair Wisconsin focused on how students can talk to their peers about the proposed ban on civil unions. The ban would affect gay marriage, civil unions and domestic partnerships, 63 percent of those between heterosexual couples, according to Fair Wisconsin.
Eli Judge, chair of students for a Fair Wisconsin stated ""when students understand what the ban actually says, they are automatically going to vote no,"" and stressed ""students are going to be by far the deciding factor of this vote."" Judge, along with his Fair Wisconsin peers, is working diligently to inform students of the proposal.
State politicians are also working actively to educate the public on just what the ban entails. State Rep. Mark Pocan, D-Madison, a speaker at the meeting, urged students to have their voices heard. ""We just need to make sure that everyone gets out and votes.""
Pocan said he places his confidence in students and the younger generation of Wisconsin, and expects the turnout on election day to be ""amazing"" on campus.
