While many students chose to spend their Fall Break visiting home or catching up on their studies, the University’s chapter of College Democrats campaigned for votes in Ohio, a key swing state in the upcoming election.

About 30 members traveled to Akron, Ohio to knock on doors and make phone calls to promote the re-election of U.S. Rep. Betty Sutton (D—Ohio) and President Barack Obama. Sutton is against incumbent U.S. Rep. Jim Renacci (R—Ohio), in a district that was redrawn following the last U.S. Census. According to members of College Democrats, Sutton's stance on higher education and health care is especially beneficial to students.

LSA sophomore Jacob Light, the press chair for the College Democrats, said the club chose to canvass in Ohio because it is the site of some of the country’s closest races.

“(The congressional election) is now one of the most heated races in the nation and we want to show some support and show that even though it’s a different state, the issues that people are facing in that race are issues that we’re facing all over the nation,” Light said.

Light said the College Democrats contacted 3,000 Ohio voters via door-to-door canvassing or phone calls, adding that some voters responded positively to the solicitations for Sutton and Obama and expressed appreciation for the efforts of the students.

“Ohio residents really responded to the fact that we came from such a great distance to support issues that transcend state borders,” Light said.

Light added that Michigan State University’s chapter of College Democrats will travel to Ann Arbor on Friday to help campaign for Michigan House of Representatives candidate Gretchen Driskell.

LSA senior Yonah Lieberman said the campaigners were welcomed as a fresh alternative to the barrage of advertisements that have been infiltrating the state.

“People (in Akron), more than anywhere that we canvass, are really sick of hearing ads,” Lieberman, who is also a Michigan Daily columnist, said. “Which makes us coming to see them face-to-face about issues that are relevant to them all the more important.”

Lieberman said decided and undecided voters engaged the students in discussions about the issues within Sutton and Obama’s campaigns.

He added that he was satisfied with his decision to canvass over the break instead of spend his time relaxing or studying.

“There are a lot of things I could have done over fall break,” Lieberman said. “But I’m really glad that I went to Ohio and knocked on doors for Congresswoman Sutton and President Obama … I think that it will be a huge boost (to their campaigns).