P a n e lD is c u s s e sS tu d e n t V o te r Tum i
S e v e ra l
d o z e n
s tu d e n ts
tu rn e d
o u tfo r
a
s p i r i t e d
d iscu ssio n
o f
y o u th
p a rtic ip a tio n
o n
e le c tio n s
a n d
e le c to ra l
re fo rm
la s t
T h u rs d a y ,
A p ril
2 8 .
T he
e v e n t,
c o s p o n s o re d
b y
th e -
U n d e rg ra d u a te
S tu d e n t
G o v e rn m e n t,
N Y P IR G ,
C o lle g e
D em ocrats,
C o lle g e
R e p u b lic a n s
a n d
S ig m a
B eta
R ho,
fe a tu re d
p re s e n ta tio n s
fro m
a
p a n e l
o f
e x p e rts ,
fo llo w e d
b y
a
q u e s tio n
a n d
answ er
s e s s io n ,m o d e ra te d
b y
g ra d u a te
s tu d e n t
i nh is to ry
D anW o u lfin .
A p p e a rin g
o n
th ep a n e l
w ere
S to n y
B ro o k
P o litic a l
S c ie n c e
P ro fe sso r
H elm ut
N o rp o rth
(w ho
te a c h e s
a
c o u rs e
o n .
V o ters
a n dE le c tio n s ),
S ta teA ssem blym an
S te v e
E n g le b rig h t
(w ho
re p re s e n ts
S to n y
B ro o k
a n d
c re d its
s tu d e n t
v o te rs
a s
a n
im p o rta n t
p a rt
o f
h is
e le c to ra l
s u c c e s s )
a n d
N Y P IR G
B o a rd
R e p re s e n ta tiv e
J o h n
M ascher
(w ho
le a d
N Y P IR G 's
S to n yB ro o k
cam pusv o te rre g is tra tio n
p ro je c t
la s tf a l l ) .
A lso
in v ite d ,
b u tn o t a tte n d -
in g ,w asS ta te
S e n a to rJ o h nF la n a g a n .
N Y P IR G 's
M ascher
o p e n e d
th e
e v e n in g
p ro u d ly
c itin g
th e
re c o rd
3 ,2 8 5
s tu d e n ts
w ho
v o te d
o n
cam pus
la s tfa ll
a sc o u n te re v id e n c e
t o
th e
a s s u m p tio n
th a ty o u n g
p e o p le
a re
to o
a p a -
th e tic
t op a rtic ip a te
i nU S
e le c tio n s .
H e c o n tin -
u e d
e x p re s s in g
c o n c e rn
fo rth e
num ber
o fp e o -
p le
w ho
p a rtic ip a te
i nth e
e le c to ra lp r o c e s s .
N ext
t o
s p e a k
w as
A ssem blym an
E n g le b rig h t,
w ho
b e g a n
b y
a p o lo g iz in g
fo r
d e la y in g
th e
p ro g ra m
a s
h e
n a v ig a te d
ru sh
h o u r
t r a f f i c
fro m
a n o th e r
s p e a k in g
e n g a g e m e n t.
E n g le b rig h t
re s p o n d e d
t o
th e
re c o rd
e le c tio n
tu rn o u t
o n cam pusla s tfa ll,c a llin g
i to n eo f-th e
m ost
in te re s tin g
e v e n ts
i n
th e
h is to ry
o f
h is -
p o litic a lc a r e e r .
H e th e nsum m arized
his career
i n
governm ent
a n d
th e
s tru g g le
fo r
s tu d e n t
enfranchisem ent
o n
cam pus,
w h ic h
h e
s e e s
a s
in te rre la te d .
E n g le b rig h tb e g a nh isc a r e e ra sa no p p o -
n e n t
o f
a
p ro p o s e d
S h o re h a m
N u c le a r
Pow er
fa c ility ,
a n
is s u e
w h ic h
a ttra c te d
a
lo to fp a s -
s io n a te
su p p o rt
fro m
s tu d e n ts .
N o
s tu d e n ts
c o u ld
v o te
fro m
acam pus
a d d re s s
i nth a te le c -
tio n ,
b u t
i td id n 't
s to p
E n g le b rig h t's
d e fe a te d
o p p o n e n t
fro m
b la m in g
s tu d e n ts
fo r
h is
lo s s .
E n lg e b rig h t
c o n tin u e d ,
d e s c rib in g
th e
in c re -
m e n ta l
p ro c e s s
o f
w in n in g
m e a n in g fu l,s tu d e n t
cam pusv o tin g .
F irsts tu d e n tsh a dt o
b ea llo w e d
t o
v o te
fro m
cam pus
a ta ll.
T h e n ,in c o n v e n ie n t
b u s s in gt o
a no ff cam pusp o llin g
p la c e
h a dt o
b e
re p la c e d
w ith
a
s i t e
o nC am pus.
A lso ,;s tu d e n t
tu rn o u t
i n
e le c tio n s
w as
h ig h ly
c o n tin g e n t
o n
o rg a n iz e d
cam pus
a c tiv is m ,
s tu d e n ts
e d u c a tin g
th e ir
p e e rs
o n
v o tin g
o p p o rtu n itie s .
A ll
th e
w h ile ,s tu d e n tv o tin g
a d v o c a te s
h a d
t od e a l w ith
u n d e rh a n d e d
te c h n iq u e s
t o
d e p re s s
th e
s tu d e n t
tu rn o u t,
ra n g in g
fro m
h a rd
t o
fin d
p o llin g
p la c e s
t ov a s ts ile n td e re g is tra tio n
o fh u n d r e d s
o fs tu d e n ts
w ho
h a d
c h a n g e d
ro o m s
o n
cam pus
fro m
o n e
sem ester
t o
th e
n e x t
t o
harassm ent
fro m
p o litic a l
o p e ra tiv e s
c h a lle n g in g
th ev o tin g
rig h ts
o f
e v e ry
s tu d e n t
a p p e a rin g
a t
th e
p o lls .
M ascher
w o u ld
la te r
c h im e
i n
w ith
ta lk
o f
u n d e rs ta ffe d
p o llin g
p la c e s ,
p ro h ib itiv e ly
lo n g
lin e s
t o
v o te ,
a n d
h o rro r
s t o r i e s
fro m
o th e r
SU N Y
s c h o o ls ,
in c lu d in g
u n re a s o n a b le
c o s ts
c h a rg e d
fo r
a
p o llin g
p la c e
i n
O sw ego
a n d
th e
g ro te s q u e
g e rry m a n d e rin g
s p littin g
th e
A lb a n y
d o rm ito rie s
in to
s e p a r a te
e le c tio n
d i s t r i c t s .
O ver
th e
c o u rs e
o f
th e
e v e n t,
N o rp o th ,
E n g le b rig h t
a n d
s e v e r a l
a u d ie n c e
m em bers
e n g a g e d
i n
a
som etim es
h e a te d
d e b a te
o v e r
th e
e ffic a c y
o f s tu d e n tsv o tin gi nab lo c ko n cam pus,
a so p p o s e d
t op a rtic ip a te
i ne le c tio n sfro m
th e ir
hom e
a d d r e s s .
E n g le b rig h t
m a in ta in s
th a tc o n -
c e n tra tin g
th e
s tu d e n tv o te
o n
cam pus
c re a te s
a
d is tin c tv o tin gb lo c k
th a ts e n d s
ac le a r
s ig n a lt o
p o lic y m a k e rs
i n
A lb a n y .
H e
c ite s
p e rs o n a l
e x p e rie n c e
w ith
h is
p e e rs
i n
governm ent
w hen
h e
s a y s
th a t
th e
v is ib le
n u m b e rs
o f
s tu d e n ts
c o n c e n tra te d
i n
cam pus
d i s t r i c t s
e a rn s
th e
a tte n tio n
a n d
r e s p e c t
o f
d e c is io n
m akers.
N o rp o th ,
how ever,
s u s p e c ts
th a t
w ith
o u rtw o -
p a rty
s y s te m
a n d
s in g le -w in n e r
d i s t r i c t s ,
c o n -
c e n tra tin g
th ev o te
o n
cam pus
m ig h t n o ta c tu a l-
l y
s e r v e
s tu d e n t
in te re s ts .
H is
th e o ry
i s
th a t
d ra in in g
s tu d e n t
v o te rs
o u to fth e ir
hom e
d is -
tric ts
a llo w s
th e
le g is la to rs
w ho
d o n 't
h a v e
a
cam pus
i nth e ird i s t r i c tt o
to ta llyd is re g a rd
th e
in te re s ts
o fs tu d e n ts ,
a n dp e r h a p s
p o la riz e s
th e
le g is la tu re .
E n lg e b rig h tc o u n te re d
b ya s s e r t i n g
th a tth e rei sr e a lv a lu e
i nsom ec le a r
w in ss e n d -
in g
"cham pions"
t o
b e
a c tiv e
fig h te rs
fo r
s tu -
d e n ts ,
a s
o p p o s e d
t o
w a te rin g
dow n
s tu d e n t
pow er
b y
d ilu tin g
th e ir
v o te
th ro u g h o u t
th e
s ta te .
N o rp o th
a ls o
q u e s tio n e d
w h e th e r
s tu -
d e n tsc o u ldb e
ac le a rly
d e fin e d
g ro u p ,s u g g e s t -
in gth a to th e r th a n
am u tu a lin te re s ti n
fu n d in g
fo r
h ig h e r
e d u c a tio n
s tu d e n ts
w ere
a
d iv e rs e
b u n c h
w ith
n o
c le a r
s h a r e d
v a lu e s .
N ot
d is -
c u s s e d
w as
w h e th e r
th e
in te re s ts
o f
p o litic a l
m in o rities,
lik e
s tu d e n t
v o te rs ,
a re
h e lp e d
o r
h u rtb y
th e
in s titu tio n s
lik eth e
tw o
p a rty
s y s -
te m
a n d
th e
d i s t r i c tb a s e d
le g is la tu re .
E n g le b rig h t fin is h e d
h iso p e n in g
s p e e c h
b y
ta lk in g
a b o u t
h o w
s tu d e n t
p a rtic ip a tin g
in
p o litic s
w as
s u c c e s s f u li nfig h tin g
b a c k
som e
o f
th e
m ore
d ra c o n ia n
c u ts
t o
h ig h e r
e d u c a tio n
s p e n d in g
p ro p o s e d
b y
G overnor
P a ta k i,d e s p ite
th e
G o v e r n o r 's
c o n te m p tu o u s
tre a tm e n t
o f
s tu -
d e n t
a c tiv is ts
d e m o n s tra tin g
i n
A lb a n y .
H e
w arnedth a tw en e e dt o
b ev ig ila n ta g a in s tb a c k -
s lid in g
i n
s tu d e n tv o tin g
rig h ts .
P ro fe sso r
N o rp o th
w as
th e
la s t
o f
th e
e x p e rtst oin tro d u c e h im s e lf.
H eb e g a n
w ithh is
p e rs o n a l
sto ry
o f
im m ig ratin g
t o
th e
U n ite d
S ta te s
a s
a n
a c a d e m ic ,
a n d
h is
d e c is io n
t o
becom e
a
n a tu ra liz e d
c itiz e n
a n d
a
v o te r
a fte r
h a v in g
ta u g h t
s o
m uch
a b o u t
e le c tio n s
i n
th is
c o u n try .
H e
a ls o
f i r e d
a
p re e m p tiv e
a tta c k
a g a in s te a s in g
th eb u r d e n
o fre g is te rin g
t ov o te ,
a
re fo rm
M ascher
w o u ld
la te r
c a llfo r.
I n
N ew
Y o rk ,v o te rsm ustb ere g is te re d
tw e n ty
fiv ed a y s
b e fo reth ee le c tio n .
M aschera n d N orpoth
w o u ld
b o th
c itefro m
th e
c o m p le x ,c o n flic tin g
s c h o la r-
s h ip
o n
th ee f f e c to f v o tin gre g is tra tio n
re q u ire -
m ents.
N o rp o th
ta lk e d
a b o u t
a
s tu d y
c o m p a rin g
N o rth
D a k o ta
a n d
S o u th
D a k o ta .
H e
s a id
th a t
s in c e
th etw o
a resim ilar
s ta te s
i ti sm orev a lu -
a b le
t ocom pare
th e m
th a n
o th e r
s ta te s .
N o rth
D a k o ta
h a sn o
re q u ire m e n ts
fo rv o te rst or e g i s -
te ri na d v a n c e
o f e le c tio n s ,a n d e le c tio n
tu rn o u t
o u t
\u00b7
- -
im passe
b e tw e e n
th e
D em ocrat
ru n
A ssem bly
a n d
th e
R e p u b lic a n
ru n
S e n a te .
T he
s ta te
w ill
b e
b u y in g
n e w
e le c tro n ic
v o tin g
m achines.
A s
E n g le b rig h t
d e s c r ib e s
th e
d is p u te ,
th e
A ssem bly
w a n ts
t om ake
su reth a tth e
m a c h in e s
p ro d u c e
ap a p e r b a llo t,
s o
th a tv o te rs
c a n
m ake
su re
th a t
th e irv o te
w as
c o u n te d
c o rre c tly
a n d
th a t
fa ir
re c o u n ts
a re
p o s s ib le .
E n g le b rig h t
s a id
th a t
h e
i s
a fra id
S e n a te
R e p u b lic a n s
w ill
r e f u s eth ev e rifia b le
p a p e rb a llo ts ,th ed e a d lin e
w illp a s s
t og e t th e
fe d e ra l m oney,a n d
th e n
th e
D e m o c ra ts
i n
th e
A ssem bly
w ill
b e
a c c u s e d
o f
b lo w in g
th e
c h a n c e
fo r
$ 5 0
m illio n
a n d
o b s tru c tin g
g o v e rn m e n t.
O th e r
to p ic s
d is c u s s e d
in c lu d e d
a
c o n -
tro v e rs ia l
H A V A
re q u ire m e n t
th a t
N ew
Y ork
m a in ta in
o n e
s ta te w id el i s to f re g is te re d
v o te rs ,
in s te a d
o f
s ix ty
tw o
c o u n ty
lis ts ,
th e
fu sio n
s y s te m
w here
th ird
p a rtie s
c a n
e n d o rs e
R e p u b lic a n
a n d
D e m o c ra tic
c a n d id a te s
a n d
th e
m a rk e tin g
b rillia n c e
a n d
g ro w in g
pow er
o fth e
" In d e p e n d e n c e "
p a rty ,
w h ic h
h u g e ly
p a d s
i t s
num ber
o f
re g is te re d
m em bers
w ith
c o n fu s e d
v o te rsw ho
th o u g h tth e y
w eres ig n in g
u p w ithn o
p a rty .
P a g e2
B yM att W ille m a in
i s
n o ts ig n ific a n tly
g re a te r
th a n
S o u th
D a k o ta .
M ascher
com pared
tu rn o u t
i n
N ew
Y ork
v e rs u s
th e
s ix
s ta te s
th a t
h a v e
a d o p te d
E le c tio n
D ay
R e g is tra tio n(E D R )-p e o p le
w ho
a rein te re s te di n
v o tin g
d o n 't
h a v e
t o
s ig n
u p
i n
a d v a n c e -a n d
q u o te ss tu d ie s
th a tp re d ic tah u g e
e ig h tp e r c e n t
in c r e a s e
i n
v o tin g
i f
N ew
Y ork
a d o p ts
E D R .
M aschera r g u e s
th a tin te re s t
i nv o tin gs p ik e s
a t
th ela s tm in u te
b e c a u s e
m o s to f th em e d iad o e s -
n 'tc o v e re le c tio n s
s e r io u s ly
u n tila fte ri ti sto o
la tet ore g is te rt ov o tei n
N ew
Y o rk .
E n g le b rig h t
w o u ld
la te r
s p e a k
i n
fa v o r
o f
E D R .
F ro m
th e
a u d ie n c e ,
s tu d e n tJ e f fL e c itra ,fo rm e r P re sid e n t
o f th eC o lle g e
D em ocrats,
w o u ld
s u g g e s tth a t,
i n
a d d itio n
t ore g is tra tio n
a tth e
la s tm in u te ,e le c -
tio n
d a y
s h o u ld
b e
an a tio n a lh o lid a y .
M o d e ra to r
W o u lfin
a s k e d
th e
p a n e lis ts
t o
s p e a k
s p e c ific a lly
a b o u t
y o u th
tu rn o u t.
M ascher
c a lle d
fo r
a
c u ltu ra l
c h a n g e
v a lu in g
v o tin g ,
p re ssu rin g
th e
B o a rd
o f
E le c tio n s
t o
a tte n d
t oth es p e c ia l n e e d so fcam pusv o te rs
(fo r
e x a m p le ,
th e ira d d r e s sc h a n g e s
w henth e y
m ove
a c r o s s
th e
h a ll)
a n d
te a c h in g
h ig h
s c h o o l
s tu -
d e n tst o
p a rtic ip a te .
H ew o u ld
la te re x p a n d
o n
th eid e ath a ty o u thv o tin g
i sim p 'o rta n tfo ra llo f
s o c ie ty ,b e c a u s e
y o u n g
p e o p le
w ho
le a rn
h a b it-
u a lly
t o
v o te
o r
n o t
v o te
w ill
e s ta b lis h
v o tin g
p a tte rn s
fo r
a ll
a g e
g ro u p s
i n
th e
fu tu re .
E n g le b rig h tb la m e d
ah is to ry
o fc h ro n ic a lly
lo w
y o u th
v o tin g
o n
p o litic ia n s
fa ilin g
t o
a p p ro a c h
s tu d e n ts
a n d
e x p la in
h o w
im p o rta n t
a n d
re le -
v a n tth e irc a n d id a c ie s
w ere.
H e
s u g g e s te d
th a t
th is n e g le c t
i s
som etim es
c a re fu lly
c a lc u la te d .
H elm uts a idth a ti t w as im p o rta n tto m a k e
ad is -
tin c tio n
b e tw e e n
y o u th
v o tin g
a n d
s tu d e n tv o t-
in g .
H e
s a id
th a t
o n
cam pus
p le n ty
o fp e o p le
v o te ,
a n d
th a t
th e
y o u n g
p e o p le
w ho
a r e n 't
c o u n te d
a re
th e
le s s
e d u c a te d
w ho
d o n 't
a tte n d
c o lle g e s
lik e
S to n y
B ro o k .
L e c itra
re s p o n d e d ,
s a y in g
th a t
s tu d e n ts
s h o u ld
v o te
a s
tru s te e s
d e fe n d in g
th e
in te re s ts
o f
o th e r
y o u n g
p e o p le
w ho
c a n n o to rd on o tv o te .
W o u lfin
a s k e d
a b o u t
N ew
Y o rk
S ta te 's
re s p o n s e
t o
a
fe d e ra l
la w ,
th e
c o n tro v e rs ia l
H e lp in g
A m erica
t o
V o te
A ct(H A V A ),
are fo rm
b illp a s s e d
a fte rth ep ro b le m s
i nth e2 0 0 0
p r e s -
id e n tia l
e le c tio n .
N o rp o th
c a lle d
i t
b rib e ry .
F e d e ra l
governm ent
m oney
i s
o ffe re d
t o
th e
s ta te s
fo r
m a k in g
c h a n g e s
t o
th e
w ay
th e y
ru n
e le c tio n s .
N o rp o th
re m in d e d
th e
a u d ie n c e
th a t
th e
U S
C o n s titu tio n
i s
v e ry
c le a r
a b o u t
th e
s ta te s
ru n n in g
e le c tio n s
o n
th e ir
ow n.
E n g le b rig h t
s a id
th a t
d e a d lin e s
w here
a p p ro a c h in g ,
b o thre la te d
t oth ef e d e r a lla w
a n d
th e
s ta te 's
schedule form a k in g
law s,
a n dth a ti f
N ew
Y o rk
w as
g o in g
t o
a c to n
H A V A
i tw o u ld
h a v e
t ob eb e fo re
J u n e2 3 .
T h e re
i sc u rre n tly
a n
Leave a Comment