Students lined up under the shadow of a giant, inflatable Rosie the Riveter to grab some free food and talk about the upcoming election.

Pennsylvania’s American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) held a “Burgers and Ballots” event outside of Reisner Hall on Friday, Oct. 10, to encourage students to vote.

Students grabbed pieces of paper, wrote the reasons they are voting and posed for pictures in front of Rosie.

Elections will open for the 113th U.S. Congress on Nov. 4. Many college students will have to decide whether to return home to vote or fill out an absentee ballot.

A senior Earth science major, Jeremiah McCormick, said he plans to return home to vote in the election and that he cares more about voting now than he did when he first started college.

“You’re kind of clueless when you come in here,” McCormick said of his early years in college.

Greg Flood, a second year graduate student, said he plans to fill out an absentee ballot.

Natural gas conflicts, alternative resources and green energy incentives are some of the issues Flood and McCormick are concerned about in the upcoming years.

The AFL-CIO, however, is trying to avoid students making a third choice: not voting. The organization held the Reisner Hall event at Shippensburg University as a means of raising awareness for voting, rather than promoting a certain candidate or political agenda. All of the speakers at the event urged voters to educate themselves before checking their ballots.

“Do your own research and find the candidate you want,” Brandon Ferrance of the College Republicans at Shippensburg University said.

Professor Stephanie Jirard of the criminal justice department spoke on behalf of the Association of Pennsylvania State College and University Faculties (APSCUF).

Waving her tattooed arms in the air, Jirard rallied the crowd. “Do not sleep on your rights!” Jirard yelled. “Doesn’t matter who you vote for, just vote,” Jirard said.

One of Jirard’s tattoos quotes the U.S. Constitution: “Congress shall make no law.” She shared this with the crowd to emphasize the importance of voting.

Education advocate Susan Spicka voiced concerns that strike close to the concerns of SU students, like tuition costs. She explained that politicians are more willing to listen to the needs of students if they are registered voters.

“This is your future,” Rick Bloomingdale, president of the Pennsylvania AFL-CIO, said.

No matter what party a person belongs to, Nov. 4 will be every voter’s day to have a voice.

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