New Voters Project aims for 4,000
Non-partisan group works to involve students in politics
Nissa LaPoint
Issue date: 9/26/06
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 Sophomore
Chemical Engineering major Bara Mann (left) talks with Sophomore
International Affairs major Shannon Hahn as she registers to vote on
Friday, Sept. 22 outside Duane Physics. (CP Photo/Kim Fuller)
| |
In
an effort to engage students in politics, the New Voters Project aims
to register thousands of CU students around campus to vote in the
upcoming November elections.
The project is a non-partisan
voter registration drive that works to register college students across
the county. It began in 2003 and now says it's the largest
youth-mobilization project in the country. Its goal is to register
4,000 eligible students at CU by Oct. 3.
Kristin Grabarek, the
campus organizer for the Colorado Public Interest Research Group at CU,
which hosts the New Voters Project, said that a cycle of mutual neglect
exists in which college students do not vote and, as a result,
politicians ignore students' voices.
"Our main goal is to make politicians pay attention to student voters," Grabarek said.
The
group will organize its volunteers and set up stands Sept. 27 and 28 on
the Norlin quad in a last effort to register students. On Oct. 3, the
group hopes to host a debate between gubernatorial candidates Bill
Ritter, an attorney, and Sen. Bob Beauprez, Grabarek said.
Bara
Mann, a sophomore chemical engineering major, volunteered to help the
New Voters Project because she feels that Boulder is "not represented
by our current governor." She believes students need and want to vote.
"I would love to (tell students) vote for this or vote for that, but I won't do that until registration is over," Mann said.
Any
student may volunteer for the project after a brief training session to
inform them on how to register students, according to Grabarek.
Kate
O'Flaherti, a sophomore environmental studies and studio art major,
volunteered with the group because she thinks "citizens who are able to
vote should take advantage of the opportunity." She said students in
Boulder could make an impact in Colorado if they voted.
Junior
integrative physiology major Lindsey Monett is one of the many students
the project has registered. Monett said she is impressed with the
project and registered to vote because her friend is active in the
group.
"They were very professional," she said.
Some students, like Logan Newbill, a fifth-year senior history major, do not plan to register at all.
"I don't know as much about the issues here," Newbill said. "I'm from Virginia."
Jessica
Bedoll, a senior political science major, is from Boulder and has voted
in every election since she was eighteen. She believes it is important
for students to vote and to keep the government in check. However, she
thinks students need to make an effort to understand the ballot issues
first.
"If you're not going to make the effort, you should not be involved (in voting)," Bedoll said.
After
Oct. 3, the New Voters Project will launch an education drive during
which they will educate students about all issues and candidates on the
upcoming November election, Grabarek said.
Students may
register to vote in Colorado if they have lived here for at least
thirty days and have a valid driver's license or social security number.
