Conference to explore student voter turnout and activism

In the wake of last year's razor-thin state, congressional and national elections, a long-known trend of college student apathy and absence from the voting booths was again exposed.

"Students have an enormous amount of political power," said Rob Hill, an organizer for this weekend's Vote New Jersey conference, to be held in McCosh Hall. Hill said approximately 14 percent of 18-to-24 year-olds vote and that the average age of voters is around 55.

In non-partisan fashion, the conference aims to bring together politicians and students from across the state to discuss student activism in workshops and lectures. About 50 students are expected to attend from different colleges statewide.

"This is not to discuss platforms and not to push individual campaigns," Hill said of the conference.

In one panel, Ingrid Reed of the Eagleton Institute of Politics, Republican Assemblyman Leonard Lance — who received his graduate degree from the Wilson School — and Democrat Assemblywoman Linda Greenstein plan to discuss the media's impact on local elections.

"I speak to many groups and I always love to talk to college students," Greenstein said.

"Unfortunately, I think that the last elections left a bitter taste with many voters that their vote was not counted, but I will continue with my message that everyone's vote counts," he added.

Greenstein emphasized the importance of voting, particularly in local elections where the margin of victory is often slim.

Other panels plan to educate students on the logistics of conducting successful registration drives and on the important issues in the elections.

Students attending the conference will then go back to their respective colleges to hold registration drives in the fall and to discuss issues with voters, Hill said. "We hope to train students to go back to their campuses to discuss and present the issues."

Adam Frankel '03, co-president of Princeton College Democrats, which is also holding a voting education conference in the spring, expressed his enthusiasm about the conference.

The strength of the conference is in its educational emphasis where students get to get together with local politicians, Frankel said.

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"Hopefully as a result of this conference," said Frankel, "the issues will become more relevant and accessible to students."

Student activism and registration drives are particularly important in New Jersey, Hill said.

"The governor is the only state-wide elected position," he said. "There is no lieutenant governor that is elected, and because the elections have been so close, students are a particularly important group."

Participating in the conference are two of the upcoming gubernatorial candidates — Woodbridge Democrat Mayor James McGreevey and Jerry Coleman of the Green Party.

McGreevey plans to discuss the history of student activism, Hill said, rather than his specific campaign platform.

"This is a great opportunity for politically active and inactive students to learn how they can be more involved," Frankel said.

It is especially important to have the conference now as a preliminary meeting, Hill said, "so we can hit the ground running for the next election."