Student voters lead effort to create National Voter Awareness Week

Congressman Walter Jones (R-NC) is one of three U.S. congressmen who worked to help the Student Association for Voter Empowerment (SAVE), a student voting rights group, author a federal resolution that will strengthen civic education.

Jones joined in a bipartisan effort with U.S Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and U.S. Congressman Zack Space (D-OH) to support a student-led initiative to create National Voter Awareness Week. The resolution (HR-1493), which declared this week National Voter Awareness Week, was passed Tuesday.

SAVE Director of Policy and Programs, Bobby Campbell, said that National Voter Awareness Week would allow a continued national discussion about student voting rights, ballot access, voter registration and election protection.

It was the brainchild of SAVE students, who successfully advanced it with the help of U.S. Congressmen. They want to use the week to boost excitement about the political process. They hope grassroots organizations, including educational, religious, cultural and community institutions will use the week as a tool to promote voter awareness and registration programs.

SAVE is a non-partisan, non-profit organization that was founded less than a year ago by Matthew Segal, who currently serves as executive director. It is a national organization founded and run by students, with a mission to increase youth voter turnout by removing access barriers and promoting stronger civic education.

"Since we founded SAVE roughly one year ago, our student members have wondered why there is a National Constitution Day, but not a time period set aside to foster education about our rights and obligations as citizens to participate in our democratic system," said Segal. " With our country's comparatively low voter participation rate as our impetus, we lobbied our congressional members to set aside such a time period. We are now proud to say that students are responsible for an outstanding initiative to encourage educational, cultural and community institutions to promote civic education and voter registration programs that befit local election procedure."

Congressman Jones, one of the co-sponsors of the bill, represents the third district of North Carolina, which includes much of Eastern North Carolina, including Pitt County.

"It's especially important for young people to become engaged in our political system at an early age, because today's elected officials are making decisions that will greatly impact the future of America's youth," Jones said.

Segal praised Congressman Jones saying Jones really "committed to the bipartisanship" of this initiative. According to Segal, because many students tend to be Democratic, Republican support of student voting initiatives is seen less likely than Democratic support. He said Congressman Jones' willingness to support students in their efforts showed that he was "committed to the principles of democracy" and not only concerned with getting votes.

"I am proud to co-sponsor this resolution in support of a National Voter Awareness Week, because citizens' participation in their government is essential to the health of America's representative democracy," Jones said.

SAVE chapters have been founded on over 30 college campuses across the country. They strive to encourage interest in the working of American government, civic participation on all levels and the proper accountability of elected officials.

For more information or to get involved visit www.savevoting.org.

This writer can be contacted at news@theeastcarolinian.com.