UNC Student Groups Prepare for Upcoming Election

Members of the UNC College Republicans table at “First Year Faves.” Source: Heel Life

For generations, public universities have served as a hotbed of political activity and student activism, and UNC-Chapel Hill is absolutely no exception. At a public university with a largely left-leaning student body in a swing state that has the ability to decide the election, political student groups are more active than ever. In fact, it is difficult for students to walk to class without being stopped and asked if they are registered to vote. At the university level, UNC students are mobilizing within the national parties: the UNC Young Democrats and UNC College Republicans. Both of these groups have been incredibly connected to the national, state and local levels of their respective parties. As the election nears, they have increased their presence on campus and are holding organized events frequently.

The UNC Young Democrats is likely the most active political group on campus. Representatives sit in the Pit everyday, asking passing students if they’re registered to vote, sporting their very own “Tar Heels for Harris-Walz” t-shirts. The group posts multiple times a week on social media, attending events for state and local Democratic candidates in North Carolina, and hosting large watch parties for the Presidential and Vice Presidential debates. On their Instagram, videos appear of a crowd of students waving “Josh Stein for Governor” and “North Carolina for Harris-Walz" signs. As do photos of members of the group alongside NC gubernatorial candidate Josh Stein and various memes promoting voter registration and Democratic candidates. At Kamala Harris’s recent campaign rally in Greensboro, 100 members of the UNC Young Democrats filled a section of the arena. The group will continue voter registration tabling in the pit and is hosting more speaker events with Democratic nominees as the election nears.

“Congressman Maxwell Frost gathers with members of UNC Young Democrats, NC Democratic Party Chair Anderson Clayon and N.C. State Senator Natalie Murdock in a Franklin Street home.” Source: McKenzie Bulris via the Daily Tar Heel

The UNC College Republicans operate similarly. Their social media boasts photos of members holding signs promoting presidential candidate Donald Trump and other North Carolina Republican nominees. Since returning to campus for Fall 2024, the group has held numerous speaker events with NC Republicans office holders and nominees. On UNC football game days the group hosts the “Team Trump Tailgate” in partnership with the Piedmont branch of former President Trump’s campaign team. While the College Republicans appear very active in the local North Carolina races, there is a lack of outright support for the North Carolina Republican candidate for governor, Mark Robinson. Unlike the Young Democrats, this group does not seem involved in supporting the gubernatorial race, not even holding campaign signs for the Republican nominee in the photos on their Instagram account. On September 19th, UNC Young Democrats made a post on the social media platform, X, pointing out that the College Republicans had deleted an Instagram post that showed members of the organization posting with Robinson. September 19th was also the same day that the CNN investigation emerged about offensive comments the candidate made on a porn site. 

Both groups are very passionate, active student organizations that clearly care about the future of our country. The Young Democrats also seem to have a larger following, evident by their packed events and 4,300 Instagram followers. Based on social media, UNC College Republicans have fewer members than the Young Democrats. Pictures from their recent debate watch parties only had about 10-15 people in them, and the Young Democrat’s VP debate watch party packed a theater in the Varsity Theater on Franklin Street. Neither group expresses specific stances on issues, but instead openly support their national party’s policies and platforms. Unlike their respective party’s national members, there is no evidence that these groups directly butt heads, in that the parties’ politics so frequently do on the floor or Congress or the debate stage. Besides a few jokes on Instagram, poking fun at the other’s candidates or policies, both appear to remain cordial towards the other. 

The UNC Young Democrats and UNC College Republicans both look as though they are excited about the upcoming election. The presence of these groups allows students wishing to get involved with the major parties, do so from their university.