Event Thursday to focus on voting

By Beth White
Indiana Statesman
9/24/03

Student voter participation is so low because they are under the mistaken impression that city government has little do with their quality of life for their time here, said Todd Nation, candidate for Terre Haute City Council, 4th District.

Nation is hosting "The Student/Local Voter Registration Meet-Up" from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. Thursday at the Coffee Grounds in the Cunningham Memorial Library.

"My campaign has targeted the ISU community as an important constituency," Nation said. "I worked hard to reach out to ISU in the May primary, and I'm convinced that my message was heard."

Also, Thursday's event will focus on more than voter registration. Nation said there will be sample ballots showing the names of all party affiliations of each candidate in every race in the Nov. 4 city election.

"This is part of voter education," Nation said.

He added it will help voters to get information on the candidates.

"It's a multi-faceted informational event," Nation said.

There will also be maps and lists of voting places and absentee voter forms.

Nation said he hosted a few similar voting registration events in the spring and registered dozens of students, faculty and staff.

"I would like to see 50 new registrations, but that's probably optimistic," Nation said. "We need to work hard to make sure as many people as possible are registered and work to make sure that they maintain their records."

Students, faculty and staff who are unable to attend the event in the library can register at the Voter Registration Office on the Vigo County Courthouse ground floor until Oct. 6.

"Student involvement in and attention to local government could have a profound affect on how Terre Haute develops, grows and the quality of life."

Nation said the ISU population plays an extremely important role elections.

"The ISU vote is seen by local politicians as the holy grail," Nation said, with a laugh. "It's this big, looming area that no one has been able to tap into."