March 2008: Higher youth vote is aim of forum

The mantra of this presidential election year is "change." To that end, civic and political groups whose goal is to register voters, including college students, will gather at 6:30 this evening, March 26, in Room 307 of the Consortium Library to discuss the issue and in particular to exhort young people to exercise their political will in upcoming elections.

Among speakers at the youth voter forum will be Anchorage mayor Mark Begich.

Those invited to the forum, which is being organized by graduate students in UAA's program for the Master's in Public Administration (College of Business and Public Policy), include members of Young Democrats, Young Republicans, Young Professionals, Anchorage Urban League, League of Women Voters, UAA Student Government and PTA/PTO leadership, and leaders from high schools throughout the Anchorage Municipality.

2008, of course, is a presidential election year. It is also the 37th anniversary of the 26th amendment, which was ratified in July 1971 and which granted the right to vote to all eligible Americans from age 18 to 20.

Facilitators of the forum are Stephanie Lawley, Jodie Dominquez, Shawna Popovici, Len Lambert and Bernadette Bradley.