Students on UF’s campus Saturday evening were at risk of guerrilla tactics: pop musician Sara Bareilles hanging out of a van window, shouting excitedly at them to vote.
The three-time Grammy Award nominee and “Love Song” singer visited Gainesville to mobilize voters and volunteers for President Barack Obama. She spoke to more than 100 students at the Reitz Union, posed for pictures and jumped in a Gators for Obama van taking voters downtown to the Alachua County Supervisor of Elections Office.
“It sounds really cliche, but you are the future, and so we depend on you guys to be super smart and super educated and really involved,” Bareilles said.
René Ciarmataro, an 18-year-old UF exploratory engineering freshman, said she thought Bareilles’ appearance motivated attendees to vote.
“There seems to be a lot of passion on the campus and a lot of mobilization from the students,” Bareilles said.
In the van, she alternated between yelling at pedestrians and chatting with passengers from her spot in the shotgun seat.
“Just hearing that she supports Obama as well made me happier,” said Michael Johns, a 19-year-old UF linguistics sophomore.
“As energetic as the youth community is, we tend to err on apathy,” she said, “and it’s important, I think, to do whatever you can to use your voice to encourage people just to participate.”
Contact Julia Glum at jglum@alligator.org.
Sara Bareilles speaks to students about voting for President Barack Obama on Saturday evening in Room 361 of the Reitz Union. After her speech, Bareilles rode around Gainesville in a van, encouraging people to vote early.
