University Star

A congressional house bill has Texas State students rallying alongside fellow collegians.

The bill, also known as the Student Voter Act, would require all universities receiving federal funding to offer voter registration to students at the same time as class registration.

The national movement supporting the passage of HB 1727 is spearheaded by 22-year-old Matthew Segal of Kenyon College in Ohio.

“We want to encourage young people to engage in the political process and realize they can go and talk to Congress and be heard,” Segal said. “House Bill 1727 has been referred to two committees. Hopefully, the bill will be signed by the end of 2009. The best thing we can do is publicize and hopefully rally support from college students.”

Segal, founder and executive director of the non-profit organization SAVE, Student Association for Voter Empowerment, authored the Student

Voter Opportunity to Encourage Registration Act of 2008 and presented it to members of Congress in July 2008.

“(The act) is targeting people on college campuses where we have to traffic in drastic, high volume ways.” said Bobby Campbell, founder and director of policy and procedures for SAVE. “The way to do that is to tie in with the university system and enrollment registration.”

A recent Facebook group, Pass the Voter Act, has gained support from more than 2,000 students on Texas State and other university campuses who are rooting for the simultaneous registration opportunity.

“I started the Facebook group because, of course, young people are embracing social networking since the Obama administration,” Segal said. “I thought it would raise awareness, and I wanted to start a group that would get publicity.”

According to SAVE, Harvard University reported students are the most likely to blame their lack of attendance in elections to poor registration knowledge and mistakes.

“It’s kind of like hitting two birds with one stone,” said Isaiah Chavez, communication design junior. “(Registering for classes and registering to vote) at the same time will eliminate students making excuses. If they are already there, it makes it easier.”

Currently, the Higher Education Act of 1998 requires universities to, “in good faith,” offer voter registration on campuses to students.

However, because offering voter registration drives costs universities money, institutions do not always comply with requirements.

“Offering registration at that time takes away the excuse of ‘Oh, I don’t have time to do it’ on everyone’s part,” said Lucy Hernandez, pre-social work junior.

According to SAVE, colleges and universities have an obligation to “equip students for a lifetime of civic participation.” SAVE argues combining class and voter registration together will help fuel a healthy democracy that depends on “active, informed citizenry.”

“Young people have the boldest and freshest ideas,” Segal said. “They need to be valued in the (political) process. They are also the highest unemployed and uninsured, but they are the most educated.”

Despite recently encouraging increases in elections and the ratification of the 26th Amendment, the number of 18-year-old voters has declined, according to SAVE.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, college students who registered to vote in the 2006 election totaled 68 percent.  Of that percentage, 47 percent came out to the polls. In the 2004 election, 74 percent registered, while 66 percent voted.