COLLEGE STATION, Texas (KRHD) — Beto O'Rourke visited Texas A&M on Thursday, as part of his Ready to Vote tour, focusing on key issues like voting rights, climate change, and reproductive rights.
- Beto O’Rourke’s Ready to Vote tour aims to energize young voters on college campuses across Texas ahead of the November election.
- Students attending the event were encouraged to check their voter registration and were briefed on voting procedures and key issues.
- Young voters expressed concerns over issues such as abortion rights, gun laws, climate change, and student debt relief, with renewed excitement for the Harris-Walz Democratic ticket.
BROADCAST SCRIPT:
Former U.S. Representative for El Paso, Texas, Beto O’Rourke made a stop in Aggieland on Thursday as part of his Ready to Vote tour. The tour is aimed at encouraging college students across Texas to vote in the upcoming November election.
“In 2018, students, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22 years old turned out in record numbers during early voting in 2018. Young voter turnout was up 508% from the previous midterm,” O’Rourke said, highlighting the potential impact of young voters in the tight upcoming election.
With the November election expected to be a close race, Democrats are looking to energize and secure the support of young voters. Jackson Farris, a student at the event said, “I feel like everybody should have the ability to express their voice and who they want to be represented by. I think voting is very important for basically the laws that rule you and govern you.”
Before entering the theater to hear O’Rourke speak, students were encouraged to check their voter registration status, update their information, or register to vote with the help of volunteers. O’Rourke emphasized the importance of being prepared for voting day.
“We want to make sure that you have the right form of ID when you go in, you know, when early voting starts October 21, what the hours are, what the nearest location is, and who the candidates are that reflect and represent our values. This is how we fight back,” O’Rourke said.
15ABC spoke with several students about the issues most important to them in this election. Nia Nickens listed abortion, voting rights, and student debt relief as her top concerns. Farris mentioned health care, women’s rights, common-sense gun laws, and climate change, while Matthew Bleier also prioritized women’s reproductive rights, gun laws, climate change, and LGBTQ rights.
For many young Democratic voters, the recent changes to the presidential ticket have added extra motivation. Farris said, “With Harris, it feels like there’s so much more energy because she’s younger and she’s bringing a whole lot more to the table.”
Nickens echoed that sentiment, saying, “Seeing representation in the highest rank of office would be amazing. And I’ve been following Tom Hook for some time, so I’m excited to vote.”
O’Rourke’s visit was part of a broader effort to rally student voters and ensure they are prepared for the upcoming election.
Students will be able to vote on campus at the Memorial Student Center on election day.