Introducing the Student Voter Opportunity to Encourage Registration

Floor Speech

Introducing the Student Voter Opportunity to Encourage Registration

* Madam Speaker, I rise today to introduce the Student Voter Opportunity To Encourage Registration Act of 2008, along with my colleague Representative STEVEN LATOURETTE. The foundation of America's democracy lies in broad participation and civic engagement. From the Civil Rights Amendments, to women's suffrage, to the abolition of the poll tax and finally the ratification of the Twenty-Sixth Amendment, this nation has embarked on a difficult but steady march toward becoming a more inclusive nation.

* I believe that the Student VOTER Act is a continuation of that progress, because it provides a pathway to participation for America's youth.

* The need for this bipartisan bill is clear. Despite a small rise in youth voting in the 2004 presidential election, young voters are far less likely to vote than older voters. In the 2004 presidential election, only 47 percent of 18-24 year old citizens voted, compared to 66 percent of citizens 25 and older. This marked the eighth straight presidential contest in which less than half of young Americans voted.

* While there are a number of factors that contribute to this trend, one is clearly the fact many college students are first-time voters and often are unfamiliar with how to register. In some states, including my own state of Illinois, first-time voters must register in person in order to cast an absentee ballot. For students who attend college outside of their home state or who do not have access to transportation, those requirements present a tremendous burden that is costly and difficult to overcome.

* The Student VOTER Act offers a straightforward solution: it requires colleges and universities that receive federal funds to register students. The Student VOTER Act does this by amending the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 to designate colleges and universities that receive federal funds as voter registration agencies.

* This legislation will not present a substantial burden to our Nation's universities. In fact, many are already providing this service for students. For example, even before orientation begins, Brown University in Rhode Island provides its students with voter registration materials not only for Rhode Island, but also for each student's home state.

* Unfortunately, too many colleges and universities have failed to follow Brown's lead. I am introducing this legislation today to spur more universities to make registration widely available to America's youngest voters.

* I would also like to thank my friend Matthew Segal, the Executive Director of the Student Association for Voter Empowerment. This bill would not exist today were it not for his dedication to enhancing voter access for America's youth.

* I urge all of my colleagues to cosponsor this important legislation.

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