Mobilizing Student Voters: A Q&A with Brandeis student Mandy Feuerman '25
October 7, 2024
Kathleen McMahan
Brandeis undergraduate student, VoteDeis co-president, and Newman Civic Fellow - Mandy Feuerman '25 - is an upcoming panelist for the National Voter Education Week event being organized by the national organization Campus Compact. According to their website, Newman Civic Fellowships recognize and support students who are "public problem solvers," and "provide students with opportunities to nurture their assets and help them develop strategies for social change." A double-major in Political Science and English at Brandeis, Mandy has worked closely with VoteDeis in helping students register to vote. She also is chief of the Brandeis Journal of Politics and president of Brandeis Democrats.
On Tuesday, October 8, Mandy will be presenting with other Newman Civic Fellows in a panel entitled, "Student Voices on Voting: How Students are Approaching the Upcoming Election." Registration is free on the Campus Compact website.
Mandy Feuerman '25
What (or who) inspired you to start volunteering in the political arena?
The first candidate I ever phonebanked for was Pete Buttigieg. I was making phone calls to voters who would be participating in the Nevada caucus (which is how I learned to pronounce it as Nev-AD-ah). I remember feeling so excited about the field in that primary and reading (and rereading) the same newspaper articles about the state of the race. I was disappointed that I was still too young to vote myself, but it occurred to me that I could volunteer for a campaign and talk to people who were old enough to vote, and I could make a difference that way.
Once I realized how easy it was to volunteer for a campaign, I just kept doing it! Both through Brandeis Democrats and on my own time, I have supported candidates and ballot initiatives I care about through phonebanks, canvasses, and letter-writing campaigns. There really is an opportunity for anyone to volunteer, regardless of your comfort level when it comes to talking to strangers.
It sounds like you've volunteered in political elections since 2020: canvasses, phone banks, registration drives, etc. Do you have any favorite memories or moments from working in these different areas?
During the 2020 election, I was phonebanking for the Biden campaign in Florida on Election Day. I spoke to a man who told me his mail-in ballot had never arrived, so he was not planning on voting. I had the chance to explain to him that he could still go to the polls, let a poll worker know his situation, and then vote in-person. He was surprised to learn that, and he promised me he would drive to his polling place as soon as our conversation was done! I was so relieved that I had reached someone in a situation like that, and that memory has stuck with me through the hundreds of calls I have made to voters in various races since. It really reminds me of the fact that even though phonebanking can feel disheartening––trust me, I have been hung up on many times––you are still in a position to make a big difference in a race.
What would you say to students who think voting doesn't matter?
The government influences everything in your life. Are you inside while you’re reading this? The state Board of Building Regulations and Standards determines the safety code for the building you’re in, and its members are appointed by the governor. Are you outside? The Environmental Protection Agency is regulating your air quality, and its administrator is appointed by the president. Decisions about your life get made by the people who are elected into power at the federal, state, and local levels. I do not want to pass up the chance to have a say in how my community is being run.
You may be unmotivated to vote because your state is not a “swing state,” but elections matter even at the local level, and those local elections are oftentimes the closest. If you feel like politicians do not make a difference no matter who you vote for, then local politicians are the most accessible to you, and they are the people you can lobby for change. You have the chance to vote for the local politicians who you think will be most open to your ideas. I know the burden is a little higher to vote in local elections, as you might not know much about the candidates. However, there are fantastic resources like your local newspaper, which will often make endorsements, and ballot guide websites (I have used VOTE411 and thought it was incredibly helpful!).
With massive amounts of information (and misinformation) being shared on social media, what advice do you have for people who use apps like TikTok and Instagram to get the latest political news?
I am not opposed to using social media as an aggregator of news stories from different outlets. I do it myself! However, if you see a story on a social media platform, you should absolutely look it up through a search engine––not on a social media site––and read the original article about it from a trusted news source. I would also encourage people to be very careful about what they post (or repost) themselves, as they often do accidentally spread misinformation. Before sharing something, look into the source of the content and Google the story for yourself. Surprise, people sometimes lie on the internet!
What topics do you hope to cover in your panel presentation with the other Fellows?
I know I am going to get the chance to talk about campaign finance, which is my favorite nerdy topic I have gotten way too obsessed with over the last few years. I am also going to be asked about what resources I rely on for knowledge about elections (I cannot recommend ENACT Your Vote enough!). Generally, I hope that I can make listeners aware of how accessible (and worthwhile) it is to get involved in elections, whether as a voter or a volunteer.