For Release:
October 31, 2006

Contact:
Dave Rosenfeld, 503-231-4181 x 311
Tina Post, 312-291-0349 x 219
Ben Unger, 503-351-8833

The New Voters Project of the Student Public Interest Research Groups (PIRGs) will be collecting youth vote turnout information in several states this midterm election with the help and permission of local registrars. The project is currently poised to collect turnout numbers from student-heavy precincts in Ohio and New Jersey—both states with closely watched Senate races—as well as from Iowa and Colorado, both states running Gubernatorial elections this year. Because voter turnout is historically much lower during midterm years—especially among young people—the level of youth participation is likely to influence the outcome of contested races.

In 2004, the New Voters Project ran the largest young voter mobilization effort in US history, and this midterm has participated in a coalition that is the largest youth mobilization effort ever in a midterm year. The New Voters Project, which represents the largest campus-based component of that effort, is now coordinating media contacts with a cadre of student leaders instrumental in this year’s youth mobilization efforts.

Field Director Ben Unger will be in Arizona this Election Day, a state watched nationally for both its Senate race and the court cases involving its voter identification laws (which have been overturned and reinstated during the course of this election cycle). While the New Voters Project hopes there will not be higher voter error in Arizona because of the change in law, we are prepared for that possibility. During Election Day, the New Voters Project will help ensure student votes are counted though voter protection efforts in Arizona and in other states.

New Voters Project staff available for Election Day comments or commentary include:
Dave Rosenfeld, Organizing Director, who will be in DC; Ben Unger, Field Director, who will be in Arizona; and Tina Post, Communications Director, who will be DC.

Student representatives available for comment/commentary include:
Sarah Clader, New Jersey
Lindsey Gavioli, Colorado
Jeff Runion, Missouri
Van McPherson, Connecticut
Rachel Butler, Wisconsin
Isaac Kimes, Arizona

A press packet with more details will be available in the next few days. If interested, please contact Tina Post or Dave Rosenfeld.

The Student Public Interest Research Groups (PIRGs) are non-partisan, student directed, state-based organizations that work to solve public interest problems related to the environment, consumer protection, and government reform. For 30 years, students involved with PIRG chapters on college campuses have had a chance to face up to society's big problems, take action, and win concrete changes that improve the quality of our lives. The goal of the Student PIRGs’ New Voters Project is to increase youth electoral participation and show politicians and opinion leaders that young voters are an important constituency, deserving and demanding of their attention. www.studentpirgs.org