Voter registration drive crashes classrooms

It may not be on your syllabus, but some class curriculum this semester will include a lesson in registering to vote.

Volunteers from the California Faculty Association and various campus organizations are registering students to vote by going into classrooms and setting up booths around campus for the Nov. 5 elections.

So far organizers have gone into more than 250 classes to register students.

"We think it's important that students get involved in the decisions making process," said Darwin Fishman, CFA voter drive organizer. "The faculty has been pro-active in getting students involved."

The number of new registered voters on campus has almost doubled since the voter drive began in 1994.

In the three weeks, the drive has registered roughly 1,700 new students to vote. About 1,100 total students registered in 1994. The campus voter drives ends on Oct. 7.

"Young people not registering to vote is a huge problem," Fishman said.

Statistically, young people between the ages of 18 and 24 account for 20 percent of the voting population, the nation's lowest voter turnout, according to a 1994 Census Bureau report. People over 65 account for the highest turnout rate.

Of the 20 percent of young people who registered to vote in 1994, only 15 percent actually voted, according the Census Bureau.

Another reason students don't vote is because they are confused about the registration process, which is actually very simple, said Justin Ruben, an organizer for Green Corp., an environmental group.

"All you have to be is 18 and not on parole," Ruben said.

This year the CFA hopes to break new ground.

Through the voter drive, approximately 150 students are registering daily, according to Fishman.

Part of that success rate is because volunteers have access to students in the classroom.

In one class of 24 students, nine registered to vote.

"There's a lot of people that would never stop at a table," said Ruben, who also goes into classes to register students to vote.

"It's scary to me how many people register in class and the tables are out everyday," he said.

The drive has also received encouragement from SF State President Robert Corrigan.

In a statement issued in September, Corrigan called the voter campaign important, and appropriate because "SF State's mission is rooted in community engagement and service."

"Approximately 60 to 70 percent of students are registering as a Democrat," said Gabriel Romero, campus organizer for the Democratic Party.

According to Fishman, the next best way to get young people registered is through the motor-voter law, a process that automatically registers a person to vote when they get a driver's license.

In addition to registering, campus organizations are hoping to inform students about the different ballot initiatives regarding jobs, welfare, affirmative action and the environment, in the November election.

Many students remain uniformed because ballot initiatives don't interest them, according to Ruben. Politicians are partly to blame for that, he said.

"Politicians are not addressing topics that are important to students," he said. "They are too busy slinging mud."

By not voting, students are sending a message to congress, Ruben said.

"Congress thinks students don't care, they aren't going for our interests, because we aren't voting."

Topics that are important to students like jobs, educational funding and the environment weren't discussed until recently. This is a direct result of the trend of young people voting in more elections, Ruben said.

"They are realizing that if they don't talk about these issues it will come back to haunt them.

But registering alone won't do much, Ruben said.

"You can learn about the political system by participating in it," Ruben said. "The point is not just to vote, but to get involved -- if it ends there, nothing will change. We have to take our voice to the ballot box."

[ Golden Gater Online October 3, 1996 ]

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