Thousands registered to vote

 Student volunteers at universities across the state registered 14,271 voters as of the Jan. 5 registration deadline to be eligible to vote in the Jan. 26 special election on ballot measures 66 and 67.

Oregon Secretary of State Kate Brown spoke yesterday at a press conference held by ASPSU in conjunction with the Oregon Student Association, a student lobby group, at which the final voter registration tally was announced.

A total of 2,755 students were registered at Portland State, exceeding ASPSU’s goal of 2,000 registrations, ASPSU President Jonathan Sanford said.

During the high-profile presidential election of 2008, Oregon students registered approximately 25,000 voters statewide.

Brown congratulated the students on “fearlessly engaging their peers” during the seven-month vote drive. The registration deadline fell on the second day of winter term so ASPSU and its 15 volunteers worked almost around the clock on Monday and Tuesday, said Katie Markey, ASPSU legislative affairs director.

“Students are not sitting idly by while decisions are being made in Salem,” Brown said.

On Monday, Brown helped the student government volunteers with the registration process by accompanying them on their in-class voter registration presentations called “class raps.” She joked that she and her staff called her surprise class visits “guerilla raps.”

“I know every vote makes a difference,” said Brown, who won her first race for public office by only seven votes.

Though students have worked tirelessly for months, they aren’t done yet. Student volunteers will continue their efforts through a nonpartisan voter education campaign and then encourage students to turn in their ballots by holding events and providing ballot drop locations. ASPSU is also seeking volunteers to help with the second and third phase of its vote campaign, Sanford said.

Sen. Rod Monroe was on the program to speak at the press conferences but did not arrive until after the program concluded due to a substation fire which delayed TriMet MAX travel.

“The future of our government rests with young people,” said Monroe, who holds two degrees from Portland State and is co-chair of the Ways and Means Subcommittee on Education.

Monroe said he is excited for the enthusiasm of Oregon‘s youth to participate in its government.