HOLLAND, Mich. — President Gerald R. Ford, a man revered in West Michigan by Republicans and Democrats alike, was known for his willingness to work across the aisle to get things done. On Tuesday night, a student organization bearing Ford’s name was hoping to do the same.
Hope College’s chapter of the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Fellows hosted a bipartisan discussion at Hope's Graves Hall, to help give students and the public a behind-the-scenes look at the elections process.
The Ford Fellows invited Ottawa County Clerk Justin Roebuck, a Republican, and Robinson Township Deputy Clerk Jane Longstreet, a Democrat to speak the crowd. The event was sponsored by Hope Democrats, Hope Republicans, and a civic engagement group called Vox Populi, which is Latin for “Voice of the People.”
“I’m hoping that students and community members are able to feel like they can ask their questions openly to the people we’re bringing in tonight. This is just a great opportunity to be able to ask those concerns that they have before November 5,” said Marlie McDonald with the Ford Fellows.
Election transparency, the counting process, voter registration, and Michigan being a swing state were all topics up for discussion on Tuesday night.
McDonald hopes the bipartisan spirit of the event will help carry on President Ford’s legacy. She also hopes it will help ease political emotions among students at Hope.
“I'm excited that we can represent everybody coming on campus in the heat of this — just the tension on campus and outside of campus every day,” she said.
“Having a step back from the partisanship is really important I think, so I'm really excited to have this for Hope students.”