Election@Bard Hosts a NYC Mayoral Debate Watch Party

On Wednesday night, Bard students gathered in Manor Parlor to watch the New York mayoral debate as a community. Hosted by Election@Bard, students took the time to both educate themselves on New York’s mayoral race and also register to vote in New York state. Everyone had snacks and debate bingo cards in hand as the debate began.

I spoke with two Election@Bard members at the event, graduate student Fiona Flynn ‘26 and freshman Jake Peterson ‘29, about why they believe events like the debate watch party are important for Bardians. “We want people to vote. We hope that these events engage people, register voters, and inspire students to vote on campus. I think that Bard is a very civically engaged community… it’s one of the beautiful things about this place,” said Flynn ‘26, a member of the Election@Bard team who helped to organize Wednesday night’s event. Peterson ‘29 echoed the sentiment, saying that the debate watch party gives students on campus a chance to “Show up and express a passion for politics.”

For Flynn, one of the most significant parts of hosting the debate watch party was the opportunity it offered students to develop a voting plan. “One of the first steps in forming a voting plan is being engaged and in the know- watching the mayoral debate allows students to develop an informed opinion on the candidates and decide how they would like to cast their vote,” said Flynn ‘26, adding, “The deadline to register to vote in New York State is October 26th, so people should get registered if they aren’t already!”

Flynn explained that one of the main drives behind the debate watch party was Bard’s large student population from New York City; however, the effects of the NYC mayoral race extend far beyond the city and even beyond New York state. Both Flynn ‘26 and Peterson ‘29 agreed that no matter where you come from, or hold your vote, the NYC mayoral race is relevant and important to pay attention to. “New York City is one of the biggest cities in the world, let alone in the country- what's happening there has an effect on the United States itself. New York is a very progressive city where many ideas originate and then spread out,” said Flynn ‘26. Peterson ‘29 spoke to the popularity of Zohran Mamdani’s campaign and its far-reaching importance, saying, “There are so many people being inspired by Mamdani right now, and they could be living anywhere. This debate has the power to inspire other elections and people anywhere.” 

Election@Bard’s mayoral debate watch party is a perfect example of how widespread change can be enacted on a grassroots level. Election@Bard proves that what may seem like micro-actions, such as sharing snacks and watching the NYC mayoral debate in community, actually hold the potential to build long-term political momentum. At Manor, attendees were registering to vote, having critical conversations, and engaging with the campus community.

Flynn ‘26 and Peterson ‘29 leave us with a reminder: Vote on Tuesday, November 4th!

The Annandale Advocate would like to thank Fiona Flynn ‘26 and Jake Peterson ‘29 for their time and thoughtful responses. If you would like to get involved with Election@Bard, reach out to [email protected] or visit the Election@Bard page. If you would like to register to vote, click here.

Post Date: 10-24-2025