While voters buzzed around the UMC, activists and entrepreneurs took advantage of the boosted population, spreading charity messages and looking to gain profit. Blood drive sign holders, sexual assault prevention canvassers and an entrepreneurial Supreme clothing re-seller all rallied on the fringes of the encamped New Era and Boulder Students for Hillary tables.
Freshman Jack Allman took particular advantage of the election buzz around the UMC.
“It’s a good opportunity to make money,” he said. An average day of sales is one item but on Election Day, he had already sold four a few hours before the polls had closed.
Allman has been selling Supreme clothing since spring. Waiting for new clothing lines to be released online, he quickly purchases and hits the streets to turn a profit. He had been planning on making an election day sale after seeing the buzz of early voting.
Monday before the polls opened nationwide, Chi Psi and Kappa Kappa Gamma students were campaigning to prevent sexual assault. Originally finding it difficult to distinguish themselves from their neighboring political activists, they quickly embraced the heighten energy from the election.
“People were kind of iffy and once we explained what was going on they were like, ‘oh heck yea,’” Natalia Progar said, one of the original leaders of the campaign.
“Once you direct the traffic over here it works,” Jackson Curtis said, a Chi Psi brother about their table.
While chants for “Hillary” were shouted through megaphones and New Era volunteers asked students if they have voted, two students held signs promoting a blood drive on Election Day. One of the students, Connor Mcnolty, said they had been wandering all over campus before coming to the UMC.
“Yeah, probably,” Mcnolty said, on whether the high traffic had helped turnout. “It’s a pretty busy area.”
The two students continued to wander campus, spreading the word on Bonville Blood Center’s blood drive.
Boulder County Green Party campaign coordinator Fitzgerald Scott spent the day away from the polls hoping to spread the word on social issues instead of garnering votes for his candidate. Standing outside of Hellems, Election Day was a slower day for the party, since most of his student volunteers were busy supporting the senatorial bid of Maryland’s Margret Flowers online. Hoping to pass out 150 flyers, Fitzgerald was half way to his target at 3 p.m.
Contact CU Independent Photographer and News Reporter Jackson Barnett at jackson.barnett@colorado.edu.
