On Oct. 22, Brandeis VoteDeis Campus Coalition and the Student Union hosted an social and educational event called “Celebration of Voting.” The occasion included  a visit by Weston, the “Vote Goat,” in Fellows Garden. Students received information on how to register to vote and had the opportunity to take a photo with the baby goat. They were encouraged to share the images with friends and family, as well as to check in and remind their loved ones to make a plan to vote.

Midyear Senator, Luke Farberman ’27, a History and Politics major, and the orchestrator behind the initiative explained his motivation in an interview with The Justice on the scene. “I actually went to a conference at Harvard [University] … a conference of local schools in the Boston area, and we were all trying to figure out what was the best way to engage student voters and try to get them interested in voting,” Farberman shared. He explained that one of the strategies he saw was a vote goat and thought to himself “That’s so funny! That needs to happen at Brandeis!” 

The initiative was no easy feat. Farberman elaborated on the process of obtaining insurance and permission from the University to host an event of this nature. “So that launched a whole very long bureaucratic process, leading to, right behind you we have someone holding a goat” Although it was a process, Farberman expressed excitement: “But we’re here now, and I’m very happy. It seems like a lot of people are interested.” 

With, at the time, 14 days until the upcoming election, students were heavily encouraged to vote through this unique incentive.

Politics major Rowan Hepler ’28, who met the Vote Goat, stated in an interview on the following day that “The goat is so cute and reminds me that I’m glad to be participating in American democracy.”