Students hoping to see President Barack Obama when he visits campus Monday to campaign for Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton will first need to pick up tickets Sunday between noon and 7 p.m. at the Ray L. Fisher stadium and on the Diag.
According to the campaign’s website, the public event will last from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m Monday. Obama is slated to speak around 11 a.m.
The University’s chapter of College Democrats, who were on the Diag distributing the tickets, also shared the event on their Facebook page, warning students than reserving tickets online would not guarantee them a spot for tomorrow’s event.
College Democrats chair Collin Kelly, an LSA junior, said Monday’s rally aims get voters in the state of Michigan excited and out to the polls.
“Getting out to vote is the most important thing for a Democrat to do,” he said. “So that is why President Obama is coming to Michigan, to get everyone energized. He is very very popular nationwide and especially in the state of Michigan.”
Kelley said Obama’s appearance in Michigan will bring more voters to the polls on Tuesday.
“His presence here is great and is a huge help to pump everyone up for our GOTV (Get Out The Vote) efforts on Tuesday,” he said. “It helps to carry the momentum throughout the campaign through election day.”
Obama’s visit, his third to the city during his presidency, comes one day before the general election, and is one of a multiple stops to campus made by high-ranking Clinton supporters. Both Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA), the Democratic vice presidential nominee, and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) have visited campus recently to campaign and stressed the need for student turnout on Election Day.
It is also one in a series of visits to the state in the lead up to the election – Hillary Clinton will be in Grand Rapids Monday, and Bill Clinton is in Lansing Sunday. Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump’s campaign is also slated to have a heavy presence in the state in the last few days before the election – the candidate himself is in Sterling Heights Sunday and Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, the GOP vice presidential nominee, will be in Traverse City Monday.
Though Clinton currently holds a 5 point lead in Michigan and a Republican hasn’t won Michigan since 1988, her lead has tightened in some recent polls and Trump has consistently said he would like to flip the state. In a survey distributed by the Michigan Daily, 70.3 percent of student respondents on campus favored Clinton.
LSA freshman Jennifer Maiorana, who was waiting in line on the Diag for tickets, said she heard about the event through a friend’s Snapchat. Maiorana was her way to the baseball stadium, but stopped when she saw the College Democrats giving them out on the Diag.
“Just to see the President talk is an amazing opportunity,” she said. “I am really excited to see what his perspective is on this election since it is so polarizing and just kind of a great opportunity here on campus.”
LSA freshman Kailan Metha and LSA freshman Nikita Bazaj both said they heard about the event through word of mouth.
“I always have been a huge fan of Obama,” Metha said. “This may be my last chance to see him and this election coming up is really important.”
Bazaj also said she was a supporter of Obama.
“I didn’t think I’d ever get the chance to see him, so this is a great opportunity on this campus,” she said.