'SMART WOMEN VOTE' INITIATIVE AIMS TO REGISTER, EDUCATE

Voter-registration and education drives, debate watches, transportation to polls and an election-night vigil are among the activities planned for Smart Women Vote 2004, a nonpartisan initiative sponsored by the new Civic Engagement Office.

Students from a range of politically active campus organizations from One World to the BMC Republicans are involved in Smart Women Vote; the Civic Engagement Office, which is composed of the Praxis Program and the Community Service Office, provides financial and logistical support as well as a place for the group to meet — in Cambrian Row's Dolwen, site of the CSO. Because resident students who are over 18 and hold U.S. citizenship qualify as voters in Montgomery County, Pa. , and Pennsylvania is widely considered a "swing state" where the presidential race is too close to call, activist groups on campus are eager to register their fellow students. Director of Community Service Debra Rubin has encouraged groups of all political stripes to participate in the initiative.

"The students in campus political groups are very engaged," said Rubin. "They didn't need a lot of encouragement from us. Several groups on campus had already planned election-related activities, and our aim here is to help them coordinate and collaborate to work most effectively." Paula Arboleda '05, Max Coolidge '07, Megan Finn '07, Romina Gomez '05, Kaity Heflin '08, Stephanie Hunt '07, Jenn Jascoll '05, Katy McMahon '05, Allie Petonic '05, Molly Ribble '05, Melissa Smith '06, Rachel Steinberg '06, Nia Turner '05 and Hannah Wilhelm '05 will all participate in planning activities. The Civic Engagement Office has hired Coolidge and Petonic to help coordinate the initiative, and Gomez maintains a Blackboard site where student groups can post information about activities they are organizing and discuss election issues (a Blackboard password is required).

Rubin says that the group will be focusing on voter-registration activities, with outreach to students, staff and faculty, until the deadline for registration in Pennsylvania on Oct. 4. Seventy students have already been registered. Student volunteers will register voters each Thursday night until the deadline in Haffner, Erdman and Rhoads dining halls; registration will also take place in other locations on campus. Rubin notes that registration forms are available in the CSO office as well; for information, e-mail Rubin or call x7322.

On Sept. 30, Smart Women Vote will sponsor a Presidential Debate Watch and discussion in the Campus Center Main Lounge; a Vice-Presidential Debate watch will follow on Oct. 5. The group will also sponsor hourly van runs to the local polling place.

Several students have expressed interest in off-campus outreach and are exploring possibilities for registration drives in nearby communities. Those who would like to volunteer to register voters either on or off campus should contact Petonic for more information.

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