Advocates urge voter registration

Environmental groups organize registration effort Friday morning As the registration deadline for the November 5 election approached, several campus groups came together last week to urge students to vote. As part of National Student Voter Education Day, Campus Green Vote -- a non-partisan environmental advocacy organization -- and the Penn Environmental Group organized in front of Van Pelt Library to register voters and inform students about the election's issues. Organizers said they saw the event as a way to focus student attention on the importance of considering the environment when voting. The end of last week saw similar events on college campuses across the nation, as youth political organizations celebrated the 25th anniversary of the 26th Amendment, which gave 18-year-olds the right to vote. Both Republican and Democratic campus groups set up tables where students could register and pick up information on presidential candidates. Students and professors urged students to become involved, highlighting student participation in the election, especially pertaining to environmental issues. According to College junior and Penn Environmental Group member Dara Park, 85 percent of 18-to-24-year-olds identify themselves as environmentalists, but less than 20 percent of the age group voted in the 1994 election. "If we can get these people out to vote, we can elect candidates who care about the environment," Parker said. Political Science Professor Jack Nagel said he was pleased to see representatives of both political parties involved in registration, saying voter participation goes beyond partisanship. "Any group who does not vote will get the short end of public policy," he said. The speakers noted that students had to do more than register to vote --Ethey also have to go to the polls. "Now the important thing is getting people out to vote so we don't just have five people show up at Irvine [on Election Day]," said College junior Vince Mukkada, of College Democrats. Despite these calls for activism, the speeches only attracted a group of about 10 onlookers. Nagel wryly observed in opening his speech that he seemed to be addressing mainly the event's organizers. Bad weather yesterday morning prevented the sponsors from using microphones to draw passersby from Locust Walk, said Tess Rondeau, a member of Campus Green Vote. But some organizers were skeptical of Penn students' political involvement despite the weather as a factor. "You can see how many people are involved just by how many people showed up," Mukkada said. Although the turnout was not as high as she had hoped, Rondeau said the groups were able to register several students, while also focusing campus attention on environmental issues. After the speeches, organizers swept through dorms and dining halls in an attempt to register more voters. But some students were still not interested in voting. College sophomore Tina Cooper said she did not register for this election because she does not feel strongly enough about any of the candidates. Others, however, said the election is critical because of the many issues pertaining to students. Organizers of last week's event are planning an educational forum with local political candidates on October 26.