Working with students from colleges across the country, we plan to hold the first student-run forum on current election irregularities and the future of student voting rights. The event is designed to engage federal lawmakers and other prominent members of the academic community with student accounts of election violations in recent years. We also intend to involve the media, which will bring further attention to our cause and help highlight student voices from around the country. The hearing will be open to the public, particularly young people, allowing us to share our mission with our peers and expose them to the voter suppression that disproportionately affects our demographic.

 

 

Students will testify to the voting troubles they experienced during the 2004 or 2006 federal elections. Testimony will include a description of the obstacles that exist prior to the election, impediments to voting on Election Day, and the uncertainty surrounding vote counting and verification. Students will also discuss policy solutions and strategies that can ameliorate the problems they experienced. We anticipate grouping the students that testify into two panels of five.

 

 

A committee will preside over the forum and gather testimony from the students. The committee will include a few students, current and former members of congress, and leaders in academia as well as the non-profit sector. After listening to brief remarks from the panel, the committee will ask questions and follow up on specific statements. The question and answer section will allow us to compile detailed testimony, which will connect the experiences of each panelist as well as pinpoint the policy necessary to increase youth accessibility.

 

 

With this comprehensive testimony, SAVE will compile a report and submit it to the House Administration and Judiciary Committees so they can hold an official hearing of their own, sponsor appropriate policy, or at the very least recognize the reasons why so few young people turn out to vote. The report will also be used by SAVE chapters to target state and local governments as well as to aid non-profit organizations and think tanks in protecting and promoting voting rights for young citizens.