Vote Coalition to Contact 10,000 Students before Election Day

Arizona PIRG

Students from across the state have formed the Arizona Student Vote Coalition to make sure that students and the issues that they care about receive attention during the 2006 Election. The Arizona Student Vote Coalition registered over 4,000 students to vote, and now plans to educate and contact over 10,000 students from across the state by Election Day. The Arizona Student Vote Coalition is comprised of the Arizona Students’ Association (ASA), the Arizona Public Interest Research Group (Arizona PIRG), and the university student governments.

“Some of the closest races this election are in university districts,” said Isaac Kimes, an Arizona PIRG Intern and ASU Tempe student. “By having one-on-one conversations with over 10,000 students across the state, we are going to make sure young people have a significant impact on Election Day.”

The Arizona Student Vote Coalition will mobilize voters by focusing on grassroots methods such as tabling on-campus, canvassing residence halls and student neighborhoods, and making reminder phone calls to students before election day. Research has shown that young people are much more likely to vote when they are asked to do so by a peer.

Youth voter turnout increased significantly during the last election cycle. “I feel that this election, more than any other election in recent history, is going to show the importance of the student vote,” said Liz Simonhoff, Vice President of the Undergraduate Student Government at ASU Tempe. “It is important for all students to get to the polls, know the issues, know the candidates, and make an informed vote.”

Among people aged 18-24 across the country, voter turnout increased 11 percentage points between the 2000 and 2004 elections, while the overall electorate showed a 4 percentage point increase. In Arizona in 2004, turnout among 18-24 year-olds increased an impressive 17 percentage points. This year the Arizona Student Vote Coalition hopes to increase turnout amongst 18-24 year-olds over the last midterm election, in which 11% of 18-24 year olds turned out to vote in Arizona.

“Students really could have an impact on this election. Candidates should see us as a viable constituency,” stated Imran Kirkland, an ASA Board Member and student at ASU West.

The coalition will be focusing on turning out students to vote at Northern Arizona University; the University of Arizona; and the Tempe, West, Downtown, and Polytechnic campuses of Arizona State University.

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A project of:
Arizona Students’ Association (ASA)
Arizona Public Interest Research Group (Arizona PIRG)
Undergraduate Student Government at Arizona State University at the Tempe Campus (USG)
Graduate and Professional Student Association at Arizona State University at the Tempe Campus (GPSA)
Associated Students of Arizona State University at the Polytechnic Campus (ASASUP)
Associated Students of Arizona State University at the West Campus (ASASUW)
Associated Students of Northern Arizona University (ASNAU)
Associated Students of the University of Arizona (ASUA)