U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE

WASHINGTON : 

For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office

Internet: bookstore.gpo.gov Phone: toll free (866) 512–1800; DC area (202) 512–1800

Fax: (202) 512–2104 Mail: Stop IDCC, Washington, DC 20402–0001

47–731 2009

ENSURING THE RIGHTS OF 

COLLEGE STUDENTS TO VOTE 

HEARING 

BEFORE THE

COMMITTEE ON HOUSE 

ADMINISTRATION 

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

ONE HUNDRED TENTH CONGRESS 

SECOND SESSION 

HELD IN WASINGTON, DC, SEPTEMBER 25, 2008 

Printed for the use of the Committee on House Administration 

( 

Available on the Internet: 

http://www.gpoaccess.gov/congress/house/administration/index.html 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSE
(II) 

COMMITTEE ON HOUSE ADMINISTRATION 

ROBERT A. BRADY, Pennsylvania, Chairman 

ZOE LOFGREN, California 

Vice-Chairwoman 

MICHAEL E. CAPUANO, Massachusetts 

CHARLES A. GONZALEZ, Texas 

SUSAN A. DAVIS, California 

ARTUR DAVIS, Alabama 

VERNON J. EHLERS, Michigan 

Ranking Minority Member 

DANIEL E. LUNGREN, California 

KEVIN MCCARTHY, California 

S. ELIZABETH BIRNBAUM, Staff Director 

WILL PLASTER, Staff Director 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSE
(1) 

ENSURING THE RIGHTS OF COLLEGE 

STUDENTS TO VOTE 

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2008 

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, 

COMMITTEE ON HOUSE ADMINISTRATION, 

Washington, DC. 

The committee met, pursuant to call, at 2:00 p.m., in Room 1310, 

Longworth House Office Building, Hon. Robert A. Brady (chairman 

of the committee) Presiding. 

Present: Representatives Brady, Davis of California, Davis of 

Alabama, and Ehlers. 

Staff Present: Thomas Hicks, Senior Election Counsel; Janelle 

Hu, Election Counsel; Jennifer Daehn, Election Counsel; Matt 

Pinkus, Professional Staff/Parliamentarian; Kyle Anderson, Press 

Director; Kristin McCowan, Chief Legislative Clerk; Daniel 

Favarulo, Legislative Assistant, Elections; Robert Henline, Legislative Assistant; Fred Hay, Minority General Counsel; Ashley Stow, 

Minority Election Counsel; Bryan T. Dorsey, Minority Professional 

Staff; and Salley Collins, Minority Press Secretary. 

The CHAIRMAN. I would like to call the hearing on House Administration to order. Today’s hearing will focus on voting for college 

students, the difficulties they face, and how we can ensure their 

right to vote. I would like to recognize myself for an opening remark. 

In 2008, 44 million Americans 18 to 29 years old are eligible to 

vote, more than one-fifth of the voting population. And young voters in primaries and caucuses this year have more than doubled 

their turnout from previous elections. Students are also volunteering in greater and greater numbers. 

The historic 2008 Presidential election clearly has young voters 

energized like never before; however, college students today face 

barriers to vote, restricting or vague residency requirements confuse both election officials and students. Many States require forms 

of identification at the polls that students simply do not have. 

Some election officials still believe the myth that young people 

don’t care about voting and don’t provide enough machines in college towns. Even worse, deceptive fliers on college campuses have 

threatened students’ financial aid and health care if they register 

to vote on campus. 

Several of our witnesses today have done a great job of protecting 

the rights of college students to vote. I hope this hearing today 

sends the message to election officials and university presidents to 

take steps to encourage and protect student voting rights. 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSE
2 

We also will hear from students and student advisor organizations who have encouraged students to vote in this historic Presidential election. Studies have shown that for the first-time voters 

cannot register and vote the first time they try, they will be less 

likely to participate in future elections. We owe it to our young voters and our democracy to do what we can to encourage a new generation of American voters. 

[The statement of Mr. Brady follows:] 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSE
3 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 1 47731A.162
4 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 2 47731A.163
5 

The CHAIRMAN. I will now ask our Ranking Member Mr. Ehlers 

if he has any statement. 

Mr. EHLERS. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Yes, I do. 

I thank you for calling today’s hearing on this important and 

timely issue. With the excitement surrounding the upcoming election, particularly with young Americans who may be casting a vote 

for President for the first time, we must do everything that we can 

to encourage participation in the elections process. I know I personally have been involved when I was a professor at a small, but excellent college. I was involved in recruiting people to register students to vote, putting them at the end of the registration line and 

nabbing the students as they came out of their college registration, 

and saying, ‘‘hey, you registered at the college, now register to 

vote.’’ And we got quite a few that way. It is a good thing to do. 

I look forward to hearing from our witnesses today on the efforts 

to educate student voters. We must also ensure that voting advocacy groups that tour college campuses respect the laws of each 

State they visit and adjust their instructions accordingly, as many 

States have varying residency requirements to cast a ballot. And 

I want to emphasize that because of my work in this committee, 

I have encountered shady registration practices in various States 

where the registrars simply disregard the rules and tell the students they can do anything they want. That is not true. We have 

to follow the laws of the State. It is not Federal law, but State law. 

In order to get young people excited about participating in the 

electoral process, elections administrators and third-party groups 

must find new and creative ways to reach out to college-age voters. 

One such approach that I am very proud to say comes from my 

home State of Michigan is a mobile branch office which is established by Michigan’s forward-thinking Secretary of State Terri 

Lynn Land. Michigan’s mobile branch office has traveled more than 

125,000 miles while registering voters, issuing driver’s licenses, answering questions and offering all the services found at a traditional secretary of state branch office. Since 2004, the mobile 

branch office has visited Michigan’s public universities to assist 

students in registering to vote just before major elections, and it is 

scheduled to visit Michigan’s 15 public universities before the deadline to register to vote passes. I hope they can also go to the smaller private universities. Following the introduction of the mobile 

branch unit, its popularity has resulted in a number of universities 

reserving a spot on the vehicle’s calendar months in advance in 

order to coordinate complementary voter education activities. 

Unfortunately, Secretary Land could not be with us today to discuss this innovative program as she is busy ensuring that Michigan 

is prepared for the upcoming election. However, if there are no objections, I would like to submit a description of the mobile branch 

office program for the record. 

The CHAIRMAN. Without objection. 

Mr. EHLERS. Thank you. 

[The information follows:] 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSE
6 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert offset folio 10 here 47731A.001
7 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert offset folio 11 here 47731A.002
8 

Mr. EHLERS. The success of Michigan’s mobile branch program 

has made it a model for other election programs around the Nation, 

but it is only one solution. Through our efforts such as today’s 

hearings, we may look for additional ways to increase the youth 

vote in this country and perhaps inspire a lifetime of involvement 

in the elections process. I thank you, Mr. Chairman. I reserve the 

balance of my time. 

The CHAIRMAN. Thank you. 

[The statement of Mr. Ehlers follows:] 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSE
9 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert offset folio 13 here 47731A.003
10 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert offset folio 14 here 47731A.004
11 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert offset folio 15 here 47731A.005
12 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert offset folio 16 here 47731A.006
13 

The CHAIRMAN. Any other statements? 

With none, we would like to get on with our first witness, the 

Honorable Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky, representing the 

Ninth Congressional District of Illinois’ House of Representatives. 

She currently serves on the House Democratic leadership as a chief 

deputy whip and as a member of the Steering and Policy Committee. Representative Schakowsky has been a leading advocate for 

students’ voting rights, and I commend her for her leadership in introducing the Student VOTER Act. 

I would also like to take time to make part of the official record 

testimony submitted by Senator Durbin, who has been a leader on 

the issue and introduced similar legislation in the Senate. 

[The statement of Senator Durbin follows:] 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSE
14 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert offset folio 18 here 47731A.007
15 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert offset folio 19 here 47731A.008
16 

The CHAIRMAN. I thank my colleague today and look forward to 

your testimony. 

STATEMENT OF THE HON. JAN SCHAKOWSKY, A REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS FROM THE STATE OF ILLINOIS 

Ms. SCHAKOWSKY. Thank you, Mr. Chairman and Ranking Member Mrs. Davis. I am so happy to be here today. I appreciate your 

opening statements that really show your support of students having greater access and participation in our electoral process. 

I represent the Ninth Congressional District, which is not so unusual, and also representing colleges and universities, Northwestern University, Loyola University of Chicago, Oakton Community College, Truman College. And I want to talk to you about this 

bipartisan legislation and thank my friend Congressman Steve 

LaTourette of Ohio, who is cosponsor with me to reduce some of the 

barriers that college students face when trying to vote. 

I want to extend a particular thank you to Matthew Segal, who 

actually brought this legislation to me. And he is the founder and 

executive director of the organization SAVE and will be testifying 

before you. 

But I know there are a number of college students here who 

themselves are advocating on their own behalf, and I want to welcome them as well. 

I believe the foundation of America’s democracy lies in civic engagement and broad participation in government. And from the 

civil rights amendment to women’s suffrage to the abolition of the 

poll tax, and finally to the ratification of the 26th amendment, this 

Nation has embarked on a difficult, but steady march toward being 

a more inclusive Nation. 

So in July I introduced H.R. 6704, the Student Voter Opportunity to Encourage Registration Act, the Student VOTER Act of 

2008, which is a continuation of that progress, because it provides 

a pathway to participation for America’s youth. The need for this 

bipartisan bill is clear. Despite a small rise in youth voting in 

2004’s Presidential election, young voters, all the data shows us, 

are far less likely to vote than older voters. In the 2004 Presidential election, only 47 percent of the 18- to 24-year-olds voted 

compared to 66 percent of citizens 25 and older. This marked the 

eighth straight Presidential contest in which less than half of 

young Americans voted. 

While there is a number of factors that contribute to this trend, 

one is clearly the fact that many college students are first-time voters and often are unfamiliar with how to register. The Student 

VOTER Act offers a straightforward solution. It requires colleges 

and universities that receive Federal funds to provide students the 

opportunity to register to vote on campus. The Student VOTER Act 

does this by amending the National Voter Registration Act of 1993, 

also known as Motor Voter, to designate colleges and universities 

that receive Federal funds as voter registration agencies. 

This legislation will not present a substantial burden to our Nation’s universities. Already the Federal Election Commission has 

created the national mail voter registration form, which allows 

Americans to register to vote from anywhere in the United States. 

This form can easily be used at any university providing registraVerDate Nov 24 2008 22:43 May 15, 2009 Jkt 047731 PO 00000 Frm 00018 Fmt 6633 Sfmt 6602 E:\HR\OC\A731.XXX A731

pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSE
17 

tion services for its students. For example, even before registration 

begins, Brown University in Rhode Island, just one example, provides its students with voter registration materials. 

I am here today to talk with you about my bill, but I also understand that my legislation addresses only one of the challenges I believe young people will face when they attempt to vote this fall. As 

we have already seen in this election year, enthusiasm and interest 

in the political process is stronger among young voters than perhaps at any other time in our Nation’s history. While this is 

grounds for optimism, I am also troubled by efforts to intentionally 

mislead young voters and/or prevent them from voting. I was 

shocked to learn about a misinformation campaign at Virginia Tech 

earlier this year where fliers were printed and posted around campus that said that students who registered to vote in Virginia could 

no longer be claimed as dependants on their parents’ tax returns. 

Aside from being wholly inaccurate, this type of misinformation can 

have a devastating consequence by intimidating young voters into 

not voting. 

Another obstacle for young voters is stringent voter ID laws. 

Seven States specify that voters must show a photo ID before being 

permitted to vote. According to a Rock the Vote survey, 19 percent 

of young adults 18 to 29 report they don’t possess a governmentissued photo ID with their current address. As a result, thousands, 

if not hundreds of thousands, of college students will be forced to 

vote provisionally this September, for which they may not even receive verification as to whether or not their ballots count. 

These examples of the barriers students face today when attempting to register to vote demonstrate the importance of today’s 

hearing. And again, I want to say that my bill takes one step forward by making it easier by making registration more available to 

students on college campuses around the country. And I thank the 

committee very much for inviting me today. 

I yield back my time. 

The CHAIRMAN. Thank you, and thank you for participating. And 

thank you for your introduction to the Student VOTER Act. It is 

very much needed and appreciated. 

[The information follows:] 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSE
18 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 25 47731A.009
19 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 26 47731A.010
20 

The CHAIRMAN. Does anybody have any questions for the 

Congresslady? 

Thank you very much again. 

The CHAIRMAN. We would like to call panel number one up 

please. And while you are doing that, I would like to recognize 

somebody in the audience. With us is Mr. Ken Smuckler. He is 

president of the InfoVoter Technologies. InfoVoter manages and operates the Tom Joyner hotline, the largest national voter hotline in 

the country. 

Please raise your hand, and thank you for participating and your 

interest. 

He is somebody that is going to—is participating or listening 

today that knows he is going to be hearing something that he can 

hopefully won’t hear on election day. He is in charge of trying to 

make a lot of problems that happen on election day go away or try 

to solve them at that particular 16- or 13- or 12-hour window that 

we have, and hopefully he can hear some things today that can 

maybe help before election day happens. And we appreciate your 

attention and your participation. 

I would like to call the panel up to the desk, please. I would like 

to welcome and thank our panel of witnesses today. And we start 

off with Ms. Sheri Iachetta. Thank you. Ms. Sheri Iachetta currently serves as a registrar for the city of Charlottesville, Virginia. 

As a registrar Ms. Iachetta has had the opportunity serve on many 

task forces that have been important in shaping election administrative procedures, such as the State Board of Elections Committee 

on Electronic Poll Books, the State Task Force on Electronic Voting, and the National Election Center Task Force on Poll Working 

Training. 

Thank you, and appreciate your testimony today. Just push that 

button and speak right into the microphone. 

STATEMENTS OF SHERI IACHETTA, REGISTRAR, CITY OF 

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VIRGINIA; NEIL ALBRECHT, ASSISTANT 

DIRECTOR, CITY OF MILWAUKEE ELECTION COMMISSION; 

MARVIN KRISLOV, PRESIDENT, OBERLIN COLLEGE; AND 

CATHERINE McLAUGHLIN, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, INSTITUTE OF POLITICS, HARVARD UNIVERSITY 

STATEMENT OF SHERI IACHETTA 

Ms. IACHETTA. Thank you, Mr. Chairman and members of the 

committee. Thank you for giving me this opportunity. 

During my 10 years as registrar in the city of Charlottesville, 

this subject is a significant subject that is an integral part of my 

day-to-day activities, but it is not just ensuring that college students have the right, it is ensuring that all citizens have the right 

to vote regardless of what group they may be identified with. 

In the city of Charlottesville, we are home of one of the State’s 

largest universities. My long-standing policy has been to accept at 

face value what the voter has written on their registration form 

when they fill out their registration form wishing to vote. The 

statement that they sign on their voter registration form says, I 

swear and affirm under felony penalty for making willfully false 

material statements or entries that I am a U.S. citizen and a resiVerDate Nov 24 2008 22:43 May 15, 2009 Jkt 047731 PO 00000 Frm 00022 Fmt 6633 Sfmt 6602 E:\HR\OC\A731.XXX A731

pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSE
21 

dent of Virginia. The information that I have provided on this form 

is true. 

I don’t believe that I have reasonable cause to question the statement of a voter simply because they are part of a particular group. 

To do so would create a special class of voter. And as you are 

aware, Virginia falls under section 5 of the Voting Rights Act of 

1965, and any attempt to create a special class of voters would run 

afoul of this act. 

One of the recurring themes that we hear in Charlottesville and 

in any university community is that students could have more than 

one residence. They have a residence in a dormitory, as well as a 

possible second residence at their family’s home, which may or may 

not be in the same State as their college. Some of my colleagues 

in Virginia are not comfortable registering students with a dormitory address. Dorms may be a more traditional dwelling; however, some students do have off-campus apartments. Since all voters must be treated in the same manner, our inability to identify 

a voter situation simply based on their address precludes my office 

from treating all students to the same standards. 

We also have a significant number of residents in Charlottesville 

that we term ‘‘snow birds,’’ and they have a residence here for part 

of the year and then a warmer climate for part of the year. They 

have nearly the same identical housing situation as students and 

need to determine their legal residence just as students must. 

A second issue that arises is whether students have the expressed intent to remain at their address indefinitely. Determining 

a voter’s future intent is beyond the purview of my office. Due to 

the presence of the University of Virginia, there are any number 

of transient professionals who may have an expressed intent—who 

may not have the expressed intent to remain at their Charlottesville address indefinitely: doctors in residents, visiting professors. 

There has been no call to preclude these individuals from registering to vote. Again, to determine the intent of any member of 

the general population is beyond the scope of local resources. 

A third issue raised regarding the registration of students is 

whether they have a vested interest in the operation of local government. To this I would answer that students are a regular and 

frequent user of city resources, including the roads, emergency 

services and police resources. They are a valuable source of volunteers to any number of community-based programs. They are directly affected by all the local ordinances, such as bicycles, noise 

control, trash collection and more. I use University of Virginia students as interns in my office, as election officials and as volunteers. 

Moreover, students are a significant source of fiscal resources in 

this community not only for the tax dollars that they bring in, but 

since they are included in the census count of local populations, 

significant Federal tax dollars are allotted for this locality based on 

their presence. If their Federal taxation dollars are awarded locally, then their representation should also be local. 

In summary, students are an integral part of this community 

and, in my opinion, should be afforded the same voter registration 

opportunity as any other citizen residing in the Commonwealth of 

Virginia. 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSE
22 

I hope to continue to work with the Virginia General Assembly 

also to make the laws on residence and domicile more definitive 

and equitable as they relate to students and other voters in similar 

circumstances. Thank you. 

The CHAIRMAN. Thank you. 

[The statement of Ms. Iachetta follows:] 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSE
23 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 34 47731A.011
24 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 35 47731A.012
25 

The CHAIRMAN. Mr. Neil Albrecht. Neil Albrecht is a deputy director of the City of Milwaukee Election Commission and has held 

that position since 2005. A life-long resident of the city of Milwaukee, Neil has a professional background in finance and nonprofit management. Milwaukee has done a great job working with 

area universities to register and assist student voters, and we are 

happy to have Mr. Albrecht here with us today. 

Also, your statements will be also put into the record in its entirety. So, Mr. Albrecht. 

STATEMENT OF NEIL ALBRECHT 

Mr. ALBRECHT. Thank you. Good afternoon, members of the committee, Chairman Brady. Thank you for this opportunity to speak 

today on the important issue of ensuring rights of college students 

to vote. 

Wisconsin experienced the second highest voter turnout of any 

State during the 2004 Presidential election. Turnout in the city of 

Milwaukee was equally significant. The demographics of those voting represented the vast diversity of the city’s residents, including 

tremendous participation by student voters attending local colleges 

and universities. 

Wisconsin’s success in maintaining and inspiring voter participation is rooted in the State laws which recognize that barriers do 

exist that can prevent an individual from exercising their constitutional right to vote. These barriers can be particularly profound for 

people in low socioeconomic classes, seniors, and for students. 

For students, some of the most significant barriers include identification requirements, producing an identification document that 

includes the student’s name and residential address for voter registration purposes. This can be particularly challenging for students attending school away from their home State. Many of these 

students live in campus housing, and most college and university 

ID cards do not include residential address information. Additionally, students living in roommate housing situations may not appear on leases, utility bills or other documents often used as 

proof—to fill proof of residence requirements. 

Secondly, students are often challenged by a lack of easily accessible information or inaccurate information relating to a State’s 

voter qualification laws and voter registration process. 

Thirdly, the challenge of actually completing the voter registration process prior to an election, given a lack of information, complex schedules, the proximity of the election to the start of a semester, and an obvious focus on academics. 

Lastly, as laws vary from State to State, there is often confusion 

and/or the dissemination of incorrect information regarding registration requirements, absentee ballots and voting requirements. 

Misinformation is particularly problematic when it implies a false 

connection between residency for tax filing and residency to register to vote. 

Wisconsin’s election laws and rules clearly recognize these barriers and include provisions that allow and even encourage students, many of them first-time voters, to participate in the democratic process. Most notably Wisconsin allows election day registration. During Wisconsin’s last gubernatorial election, over 90 perVerDate Nov 24 2008 22:43 May 15, 2009 Jkt 047731 PO 00000 Frm 00027 Fmt 6633 Sfmt 6602 E:\HR\OC\A731.XXX A731

pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSE
26 

cent of the voters at one polling site near Marquette University 

registered to vote on the day of election. Beyond any doubt, the opportunity for election day and registration in Wisconsin allowed 

thousands of students to vote in the last election and is key to ensuring the student vote. 

In addition to election day registration, since 1980, colleges and 

universities in Wisconsin may provide municipalities with lists of 

students residing in campus housing prior to an election. These 

lists are distributed to the appropriate voting sites, and students 

appearing on these lists may use their student ID cards without an 

address as proof of residence. The success of the single provision— 

I am sorry, the success of the single provision in Milwaukee has 

been significant. For students in noncampus housing, Wisconsin allows a voter to appear at a voting site with a corroborating witness. 

A corroborating witness may certify the name and address of another voter by signing their registration application and providing 

a proof of residence demonstrating their own residency. 

It is essential to recognize the importance of technology when 

discussing student participation in elections. The Milwaukee Election Commission posts on the city’s Web site comprehensive and accurate information as well as all forms necessary to register to 

vote, request an absentee ballot and serve as an election worker. 

While any State or municipality such as Milwaukee can choose 

to philosophically embrace the importance of the student vote, real 

voting policy is determined by State and Federal law. We must do 

everything possible to encourage voter participation. The opportunity to vote in an election is important to all qualified electors 

and equally important to the principle of democracy. I believe this 

opportunity, free from intentional and unintentional barriers, is 

particularly important to students as first-time voters. A problematic or disillusioning first-time voting experience can shape an individual’s voting participation in all future elections. 

I am hopeful that this information provides an insight into the 

important steps Congress can take to encourage student voting. I 

am honored to be here today and proud of the role the city of Milwaukee and the State of Wisconsin have taken to ensure access to 

the polls. 

The CHAIRMAN. Thank you. 

[The statement of Mr. Albrecht follows:] 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSE
27 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert offset folio 41 here 47731A.013
28 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert offset folio 42 here 47731A.014
29 

The CHAIRMAN. Marvin Krislov. Marvin Krislov is currently professor of Oberlin College in Ohio, which has made major strides in 

protecting student voting rights. Prior to Mr. Krislov’s work in 

Oberlin, he was vice president and general counsel at the University of Michigan. 

I thank you for coming here today. We look forward to your testimony. 

STATEMENT OF MARVIN KRISLOV 

Mr. KRISLOV. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and thank you members of the committee. I am very pleased to be here and talking 

about this important issue. 

I also want to recognize Congresswoman Kaptur, who has focused her leadership on providing opportunities for students to vote 

in our district. 

I am here on behalf of Oberlin College and Oberlin College students. We are celebrating our 175th anniversary. We are known in 

history for being the first college in America to admit students regardless of race or ethnicity, and the first to admit women to a coed 

baccalaureate program. 

I am here today to talk to you about some of the practical issues 

facing students and young people, and hoping that the Oberlin experience will help us think about how we can address these challenges. 

The most significant recent development at Oberlin in Ohio came 

on February 22nd of this year, when, at the urging of students 

from Oberlin and Ohio colleges, the Office of Ohio Secretary of 

State Jennifer Brunner issued a memorandum ruling that colleges 

and universities can issue utility bills to their students, thus enabling them to fulfill the State’s proof of voter residency requirements. These bills require no payment since they reflect services 

such as telephone, Internet access and electricity already provided 

to students. Oberlin now issues such bills to our students. That ruling was the result of a 2-year struggle by student and statewide 

organizations to make it easier for Ohio’s college students to exercise their right to vote. 

The progress we are making on these student voting issues is 

due in large part to the hard work, intelligence and persistence of 

student leaders at Oberlin and other schools. I am so proud of their 

determination to be engaged students and citizens and to defend 

their voting rights. 

While we have made much progress, much work remains. As you 

know, Ohio had been a battleground State in many Presidential 

elections. In recent elections there have been significant complaints 

that many Ohioans, including college students, encountered significant obstacles when they tried to vote. Countless news articles 

have reported that certain Ohio precincts provided an insufficient 

number of voting machines. 

Prior to the 2004 election, some election officials let it be known 

that they would vigorously challenge out-of-State students who 

chose to vote in Ohio by requiring a photo identification card bearing a current voting address. In 2004, such identification was actually not legally required. The problems caused by these actions are 

well documented. In the 2004 elections, there were lengthy lines 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSE
30 

and delays at polling places. Some students, faculty and staff at 

Kenyon College, for example, waited in line for up to 12 hours. In 

Oberlin some students, faculty and staff, and Oberlin citizens, 

waited up to 5 hours to cast their ballot. 

In 2006, Ohio voting law was changed. All Ohioans are now required to produce a current and valid photo ID such as an Ohio 

driver’s license, which does not need to show a current address, or 

a State ID or government identification or a military identification. 

If the person does not have a photo ID, he or she can still vote by 

producing a copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, government check or other government document. 

While it is established law that students have the right to live 

and vote in those communities where they attend college, practical 

obstacles to student voting still exist. While the majority of Oberlin 

students have a driver’s license, these are often issued by the State 

where their parents reside. Most of our students, for example, live 

in residence halls or co-ops and receive mail at the Oberlin College 

mail room. These Oberlin student IDs do not have their home addresses because students frequently move from one year to the 

next. 

Fortunately, Ohio’s college students actively work to address 

these voter ID issues and to register to vote. Our students, assisted 

by local board of elections, as well as the secretary of state and 

Congresswoman Kaptur, have, we think, taken an important first 

step by creating the ability for colleges to issue utility bills. 

I hope that colleges and universities and State government officials adopt this policy. The first experience young people have with 

democracy should not be frustrating. As has been discussed, studies show that education is the most important socioeconomic factor 

in voter turnout, meaning the more education a person has, it is 

more likely for him or her to vote. And men and women who begin 

voting as youth continue to vote throughout their lives. 

I hope that Oberlin’s example can help lead to greater cooperation between colleges and communities and States that will further 

our national goal of a vibrant democracy. These efforts advance our 

American values and deserve support from colleges and universities as well as all levels of government. Thank you. 

The CHAIRMAN. Thank you. 

[The statement of Mr. Krislov follows:] 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSE
31 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert offset folio 48 here 47731A.015
32 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert offset folio 49 here 47731A.016
33 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert offset folio 50 here 47731A.017
34 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert offset folio 51 here 47731A.018
35 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert offset folio 52 here 47731A.019
36 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert offset folio 53 here 47731A.020
37 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert offset folio 54 here 47731A.021
38 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert offset folio 55 here 47731A.022
39 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert offset folio 56 here 47731A.023
40 

The CHAIRMAN. Catherine McLaughlin. Catherine McLaughlin 

serves as the executive director of Harvard University’s Institute of 

Politics since 1994. She also served as the director of alumni affairs 

and the coordinator of the press and public liaison office at the 

Kennedy School of Government from 1986 to 1989. She left the 

Kennedy School in 1989 to serve as a tour manager for the band 

New Kids on the Block. I think that is for our audience. She also 

worked on several Presidential campaigns during the 1980s. 

Thank you, and look forward to your testimony. 

STATEMENT OF CATHERINE McLAUGHLIN 

Ms. MCLAUGHLIN. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, Ranking Member 

Ehlers and members of the committee. Thank you for this opportunity to come to talk to you about such an important subject. 

I am the executive director of the Institute of Politics, and the 

institute was established in 1966 as a memorial to President Kennedy. Its mission is to inspire young people to get engaged in politics and public service. The mission is born out of President Kennedy’s call to all of us, but particularly to young people, to serve 

our country and our communities through political engagement. 

That is what we are here talking about today: to make sure young 

people have this opportunity to participate in the process. 

We are currently witnessing a political reengagement by young 

people. The 2004 elections represented a reversal of more than a 

decade of declining youth voter turnout. For context, prior to 2004, 

election turnout by 18- to 24-year-olds declined by 16 percent between 1972 and 2000. This downward trend was reversed in 2004; 

47 percent of 18- to 24-year-olds voted, an increase of 11 percentage points from the 2000 election. 

Since 2000, the IOP has been conducting a unique national poll 

of political views of 18- to 24-year-olds. Over the years we have 

seen that young people with at least some college experience are 

twice as likely to vote as those who have never attended college. 

Turnout among college-educated young people in 2004 was 59 percent, while people with a high school diploma was 34 percent. More 

importantly, 67 percent of college students said that as a result of 

the 2004 Presidential election, they were more likely to get involved in politics in the future. 

We have seen this new, younger voter momentum be sustained 

so far through the 2008 primary election cycle. According to research from CIRCLE at the University of Maryland, youth voter 

turnout doubled, tripled, and even quadrupled in numerous States 

during the primaries and caucuses. We have every reason to believe and expect solid turnout in November. 

So how do we make sure that young people, including those on 

college campuses, receive every opportunity to participate in elections? It is first important to recognize how many college students 

vote. College students are more likely than any other segment of 

the population, except the military, to vote by absentee ballot. In 

2003, we found that 39 percent of college students preferred to vote 

in their home State. 

Just before the 2004 elections, our data showed well over half of 

the college students who plan to vote in 2004 would not be voting 

in person. CIRCLE confirmed this data following the election. And 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSE
41 

an important fact for local elected officials to know, 78 percent of 

the college students said they preferred to vote in their home State 

and would like to be registered there. 

In light of that fact, the absentee voting has special importance 

to college students. In 2003, the institute developed a guide to absentee voting; a Web-based document that is an interactive Stateby-State information center about how to vote by absentee ballot. 

In addition to that, we are using new technologies to help firsttime voters. For example, the IOP launched a new Web-based initiative specifically targeted for the 2008 Presidential primaries 

called No Vote, No Voice, aiming at increasing youth turnout at the 

polls. The project featured a Facebook application young people 

could download onto their own profiles. Using the application, 

youth who pledged to vote were sent information on State-specific 

voting deadlines to their Facebook page, including those registering 

to vote and sending in ballots. 

Beginning in 2003, the IOP gathered 18 other colleges and universities to create the national campaign for political and civic engagement. It is a nationwide consortium of colleges and universities dedicated to youth engagement. Representatives from each of 

the colleges gather annually to share information on how to best 

register and educate and mobilize people. Young leaders from each 

of the colleges come together for training sessions and information 

sharing. 

One of the most important things that we have learned over the 

years at colleges, it is critical for students to work with university 

officials. Having a presence at mandatory academic registration for 

freshman allows us to get hundreds of students who are registering 

for classes to also register to vote. 

Since 2004, the institute has conducted HVOTE, Harvard Voter 

Outreach and Turnout Effort, a campuswide voter registration and 

mobilization project whose goal is to provide Harvard students with 

the information they need. 

Both of these efforts have helped us in just the past week register 500 Harvard college students and helped 400 others complete 

their absentee request forms. 

In addition, this summer Eric Hysen, a sophomore at the college, 

created a new Web site called Campus Voices. This site allows students across the country to voice their opinion, but it also provides 

links to a variety of nonpartisan sites that provide State-by-State 

registration, confirmation of registration, information on absentee 

ballots and locations at polling places. 

All that said, it is important to note that most universities do not 

have an organization with a professional staff like the Institute of 

Politics who can help the students. The absentee ballot process for 

the students across the country can still be difficult to navigate. 

State laws are diverse and especially difficult for first-time voters 

and cause great confusion. Creating a more simplified registration 

and absentee ballot voting system would help sustain increased 

electoral participation. 

Finally, we need to make sure students have the information 

they need to vote, targeting voter education sections of State election Web sites toward students to help make voting by absentee 

easier. Although some States already provide some of this informaVerDate Nov 24 2008 22:43 May 15, 2009 Jkt 047731 PO 00000 Frm 00043 Fmt 6633 Sfmt 6602 E:\HR\OC\A731.XXX A731

pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSE
42 

tion, it would be beneficial if all States could do so; detailed information on absentee ballot, including identification and residence 

requirements, application deadlines, downloadable absentee ballots, 

et cetera. 

In conclusion, we have all seen in the primaries this season alone 

how much an impact the youth vote can have. They are excited 

about voting, and we need to do all we can to ensure doing so is 

easy and streamlined as possible. 

Thank you for your opportunity to speak today. 

The CHAIRMAN. Thank you. 

[The statement of Ms. McLaughlin follows:] 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSE
43 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 64 47731A.024
44 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 65 47731A.025
45 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 66 47731A.026
46 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 67 47731A.027
47 

The CHAIRMAN. I would like to open up our questions with one 

that I have for Mr. Krislov. You said in the 2004 election where 

there was an 8- to 10–hour wait. Was that just a voter ID problem? 

Mr. KRISLOV. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 

I wasn’t in Ohio at the time, but my understanding is that there 

were numerous problems with lack of machinery, issues with provisional ballots, as well as voter challenges and voter identification. 

And in addition to the voter identification, there have been issues 

including, even at the primaries this year, about provisional ballots 

and enough machinery. And that is something that we have been 

trying to anticipate because we do think there will be extraordinary 

turnout this fall, and we have been trying to talk to the board of 

elections and working with them on things such as the early voting 

that the Secretary of State has authorized. 

The CHAIRMAN. Have you allocated more equipment and resources to those areas where the heavy voter turnout will be on the 

college campuses? 

Mr. KRISLOV. It is not the college’s resources, so we are doing everything we can to educate our students about the opportunities. 

And we have encouraged the board of elections and officials to try 

to create greater resources, but, of course, it is the State and local 

government. 

The CHAIRMAN. I will also let Congresslady Marcy Kaptur know 

that you did mention her twice in your statement. 

Mr. KRISLOV. Thank you very much. 

The CHAIRMAN. We will get some help from her to push the election board to get more resources in the college campuses there that 

do need them. 

The next question is for Mr. Krislov and Ms. McLaughlin. One 

of my next panelists from the Student PIRG New Voters Project set 

up a MySpace page to solicit questions from college students across 

the country, and they asked me to be the facilitator to ask this 

question. 

Nelson, from the University of Southern California, wants to 

know, shouldn’t colleges and universities have more than a goodfaith effort to further civic engagement on their campuses, and 

does the Higher Education Act amendment of 1998 demand enough 

from our schools, and has this been effective since the 10 years 

have passed? Anyone want to try to answer that question? 

Ms. MCLAUGHLIN. I think that some universities, universities 

that have the—the universities that participate in our consortium, 

there is actually various institutes, like the Dole Institute, the 

Baker Institute, the Institute of Politics, the John Glenn. When 

there is a staff that you can connect to, it really does make a difference. We have Laura Simolaris, who is here with us today, actually is a staff person who spends all of her time on this. 

I think it is important, it makes a big difference, to have some 

historical knowledge, because every 4 years the students are replicating and trying to rebuild something that has already been built. 

So having some point of contact would be a big thing for the universities. 

The CHAIRMAN. I think a point of contact would be a great—lets 

them know that they are needed and that you are paying attention 

to them. I think it is a very good idea. Yes, sir. 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSE
48 

Mr. KRISLOV. I would say that this has been a high priority of 

mine in the colleges because we have such a strong tradition of 

civic engagement. I will mention that we have an initiative, a coinitiative for electoral politics, which supports students in internships and work opportunities to work on campaigns. We also provide a variety of speakers. Last night Newt Gingrich spoke on our 

campus and immediately afterward appeared on Hannity and 

Colmes. And this weekend Adrian Fenty will be coming to town. 

And so we believe in a diversity of views and informing our students and very much trying to encourage their engagement. 

The CHAIRMAN. Thank you. I am sure that Nelson would give me 

latitude there to anybody else, Iachetta or Albrecht, if they have 

anything that they would add. No? Okay. Thank you. 

Mr. Ehlers. 

Mr. EHLERS. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 

As I indicated earlier, when I was in the academic world, I was 

involved in student registration activities. I think it is a great 

thing. And I personally started voting when I was college age. I 

think I have something like a 99.5 percent voting record since then, 

except for the years I was in Europe doing research. So I think it 

is a great thing. 

Let me, though, in the name of balance indicate some of the 

problems. I think it is very, very important for students to vote. 

That doesn’t necessarily mean they have to register and vote where 

they are attending classes. And there are a couple of problems that 

I have observed. 

I have served in local government as well. I have to tell you, 

there is a lot of anger on the part of some of the citizens when students who don’t pay any taxes change the outcome of an election 

which involves assessing taxes on citizens in that community. If, 

for example, there is a provision to build a new county building or 

a new jail or what have you, and it passes overwhelmingly because 

students voted for it, this does not help the town-and-gown relationships at all. So that is not something I blame the students 

about, but you have to recognize there is a problem there. 

A greater problem, I think, and one that does affect students, is 

to recognize that every State has different laws about various 

things involving residency. And now, Mr. Krislov, you are at 

Oberlin College, a very prestigious school. A lot of students, I assume, come from out of State there, and these students may spend 

2 years there and then realize they can’t afford the rest, so decide 

they should go back home to their State university where they 

should be able to get a preferred rate of tuition because they are 

residents. If, however, they register to vote in Ohio and then move 

back to Michigan or wherever it might be, are they still residents 

of the State according to the State’s definition or the State university’s definition of residency? 

That is something to worry about, because I have seen students 

caught in that, not because of the registering to vote, but moving 

to another State, acting like residents there, voting and everything 

else, and going back home and discovering lo and behold they cannot get the resident rate anymore even though they are an age 

where they thought they would. 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSE
49 

So maybe it is just my good old cautious nature as a professor 

who has advised a lot of students, be careful, check out your own 

State laws before you suddenly decide, hey, I am going to vote to 

register in Ohio or wherever it may be so, and so what, it won’t 

make any difference. It can make a difference. And I just simply 

wanted to put that on the record. I don’t know if anyone wants to 

contest that or elaborate on it, but it is a concern I have because 

of my involvement with students and the advising that I have 

done. 

Ms. McLaughlin. 

Ms. MCLAUGHLIN. The one thing that I would add to that, the 

CIRCLE polling at the University of Maryland said most students 

do want to vote at home and in their home State. And since this 

past week we spent the whole week doing registrations, we found 

that several students came to us, for instance, students from Illinois, who really wanted to vote at home, and because of the—we 

call them maroon voters, they are not allowed to vote because they 

had to either register in person, or they had to show up and vote 

for the first time in person. So unfortunately they now had to register in Massachusetts, which is not what they preferred to do. So 

I think knowing that there are some States that don’t allow the opportunity to vote, that you have to vote in person the first time, 

these students said they couldn’t afford to go home to vote, so they 

were going to fill out applications and vote in Massachusetts. 

Mr. EHLERS. So, in fact, if we would pass the Schakowsky bill, 

and I don’t know if we will or not, then perhaps we should say that 

institutions could be designated as voting registry agencies for students who are away from home as well? 

Ms. MCLAUGHLIN. I think that would be very helpful, because we 

meet that all the time. There is about six States that have that 

problem, so I think that would be very helpful. 

Mr. EHLERS. I know I myself, when I was a student, registered 

to vote back home because I knew the people there, I knew the candidates, and I was in a city that I knew nothing about. 

Mr. KRISLOV. Could I just say that certainly if students want to 

vote in the States they came from, we would do what we could to 

help them. But I think that what many students find at a 4-year 

or greater institution like ours is that they actually grow increasingly committed to the local community, and that voting is part of 

that. And many of our students end up living and working there 

and staying for many, many years and participating in the economic and civic life. And frankly, I think that that is one of the 

additional benefits; by empowering them to vote, that you allow 

them to feel that they are fully engaged in the community. 

Mr. EHLERS. I agree. And I think there is just that natural transition. The first few years they ally themselves with their home 

community. After a few years they have been co-opted by the institution, and they decide they want to ally with them. 

No further questions. 

The CHAIRMAN. Mr. Davis. 

Mr. DAVIS of Alabama. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 

Ms. McLaughlin, when I was a junior at Harvard school that you 

are connected to, I made the decision to register to vote back in 

Alabama because, frankly, Alabama Democrats needed me more 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSE
50 

than Massachusetts Democrats did. But it was a choice. And I 

don’t know if there is any—I would probably disagree with Mr. 

Ehlers a little bit. I am not sure there are any broad, overarching 

public policy values that undercut young people choosing where 

they want to vote. They shouldn’t be able to vote twice. I don’t 

think anybody would argue for that. But I am not sure I see any 

broad public policy reasons that ought to constrain them making 

the choice. 

Ms. Iachetta, if I am pronouncing your name right, I fully understand that your county is UVA and not Virginia Tech. And if you 

are like most registrars, I know you are loathe to be asked about 

what another registrar did, but you knew you were going to be here 

today and you would be. So I don’t want to miss the opportunity. 

I was really struck by the story I read in The Times back on September 8th about one of your counterparts did, and I take it it is 

Montgomery County, the county that houses Virginia Tech. 

Ms. IACHETTA. Yes, sir. 

Mr. DAVIS of Alabama. And there were two things I suppose that 

concerned me. And I was bothered by a trained registrar relying 

on research from an intern to issue an opinion, but I won’t even 

get into that. 

Ms. IACHETTA. Thank you, sir. 

Mr. DAVIS of Alabama. I was troubled, though, by one observation Mr. Wertz made. I want to just read this to you and see if this 

is your experience. The registrar Mr. Wertz was asked about the 

interpretation his office advanced, and I think most people here are 

familiar with it, that you can lose your dependent status on your 

tax returns if you register to vote in Virginia and not back home; 

that your health or automobile insurance or your scholarship status or tuition rates could be affected by that. And he was quoted 

as saying in The Times, and if this your primary residence, you 

have to register your vehicle here, change your driver’s license to 

here and so on. It has been the interpretation in State training sessions. Is that the interpretation you have received in State training 

sessions? 

Ms. IACHETTA. No, sir, it is not the interpretation. And I would 

like to go on record to say that the reason that—we have 134 registrars in the State of Virginia, and all of us interpret it differently 

because it is not very clearcut in our specific law. And that is not 

how I interpret it. I interpret it as if a person comes before me, and 

they are 18 years of age, and they qualify under Virginia law to 

register to vote, I don’t have—— 

Mr. DAVIS of Alabama. It is their choice. 

Ms. IACHETTA. It is their choice. I can’t second-guess that, I can’t 

question that, I can’t question any voter. And if I start questioning 

voters, and if I start putting people in different groups, then I am 

going get myself in trouble under Virginia being under the Voting 

Rights Act of 1965 because you can’t create a special class of voters. 

Mr. DAVIS of Alabama. And I am just trying to look at some recent history here. Do you know—you have been to training sessions, you study your field. Do you know of any student anywhere 

in the United States of America who has ever been prosecuted for 

trying to vote in the place in which they attended college? 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSE
51 

Ms. IACHETTA. No, sir, I haven’t come across any information like 

that. 

Mr. DAVIS of Alabama. Do you know of any voter fraud case 

every brought against a student saying, oh, you say you live in Alabama, you really live in Kentucky, so we are going to put you in 

jail because of that? Have you heard of any single case like that 

anywhere in America? 

Ms. IACHETTA. No, sir, I haven’t heard anything. 

Mr. DAVIS of Alabama. I have not either. I would find it very curious. 

There was a district attorney in Waller County, Texas, in 2003. 

Waller County is the home of Prairie View A&M and HBCU, primarily a black college, and the DA wrote a column in the newspaper, irrespective of a few canons of ethics, but what are ethics? 

The DA wrote a column in a newspaper threatening to prosecute 

students who were attending Prairie View, but who were—I suppose the parents lived out of State, so they could prosecute them. 

And that just struck me as something that was very bizarre 5 

years ago. 

I have a basic rule for how I assess events. If something reminds 

me of an event that would happen if I stepped in a time machine 

and went back to 1963, I tend to be dubious of it because I like 

now much better than I think I would have liked 1963. 

But do any of you have any reaction, and, Ms. McLaughlin, I 

guess I will turn to you in deference to the IOP. I think the overarching public policy question here is kids ought to have the right 

to choose where they vote. Obviously they can’t vote twice, but 

have a right to choose where they vote. I see no countervailing public policy interest that ought to constrain their choice. I think the 

Supreme Court has broadly agreed with me. I mean, am I right or 

wrong? 

Ms. MCLAUGHLIN. I believe you are right on that issue. I don’t 

believe students are trying to vote in two places. I think they just 

want to vote, and the easiest way they can get there is what they 

want to do. 

Mr. DAVIS of Alabama. And I would just close, Mr. Chairman. It 

may very well be that sometimes students cause elections to 

produce results members in communities don’t like. If I were to 

sample people who lived in my district, they ain’t crazy about everything we do in Washington, and they don’t always feel the outcomes adequately represent their interests. That is life in the big 

city sometimes. 

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 

Mr. EHLERS. Will the gentleman yield? 

Mr. DAVIS of Alabama. I am out of time, but I would be happy 

to yield to the Ranking Member. 

Mr. EHLERS. I just wanted to comment. I was not raising an 

issue of broad public policy with my comments. It is simply that 

students should be aware that there may be ramifications back 

home. And counseling a student who has lost their instate tuition 

advantage is a pretty heartbreaking situation. 

I also want to mention just, as you well know, Virginia State 

Board of Elections, Virginia law clearly states that it is up to the 

registrar to make the decision and no one else. 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSE
52 

The last comment and a very quick one, you commented you 

voted in Alabama because you thought they needed your help more. 

I can assure you that if you had just voted Republican, the Massachusetts Republicans needed help a lot more than anyone in Alabama did. It is a real endangered species. 

I yield back. 

Mr. DAVIS of Alabama. You may have explained how Clarence 

Thomas became a Republican, Mr. Ehlers. I think now I understand it. 

The CHAIRMAN. Thank you. 

I just have one real quick question. Ms. McLaughlin, you said 

that there are six States where people have to vote, when they vote 

the first time, in person. Do you know what they are? 

Ms. MCLAUGHLIN. They either have to register in person, or they 

have to vote for the first time in person. 

The CHAIRMAN. In other words, if I registered in person and not 

by mail, they make a notation that I registered in person, and then 

I can vote absentee. 

Ms. MCLAUGHLIN. Yes. 

The CHAIRMAN. But if I registered by mail, then I have to vote 

in person. 

Ms. MCLAUGHLIN. Yes. 

The CHAIRMAN. Do you know what States they are? 

Ms. MCLAUGHLIN. I can get you those. I believe New Hampshire, 

Wyoming—Michigan, Illinois, Tennessee and Louisiana. I am sorry, 

it is four States that we know. 

The CHAIRMAN. Michigan, Illinois—— 

Ms. MCLAUGHLIN. Tennessee and Louisiana. 

The CHAIRMAN. All four of them, either/or. Somebody would have 

to be in person either one of them. And they make a notation, I 

guess. 

Ms. MCLAUGHLIN. I don’t know. I just know that they have made 

it clear to us that we can’t send in something. They either have to 

register—we actually this year sent out e-mails to students who 

said they were interested in the Institute of Politics prior to them 

coming to the freshman dean’s office and sent a note to students 

saying in the States, if you need to register, you might want to do 

that before you come to college. So technology has really been a 

huge benefit for us. 

The CHAIRMAN. You need to register in person. 

Ms. MCLAUGHLIN. Register in person before you come here so 

that you can do an absentee ballot. 

The CHAIRMAN. Thank you, and thank all of you for your interest 

and participation. Thank you. 

The CHAIRMAN. I would now like to call up our third panel, 

please. Thank you. Please understand we may be—our understanding is there may be votes coming up soon. It is no way, any 

shape or form a disrespect, but we do have to leave and vote and 

come back. We will try to get through as quickly as possible. That 

does not mean we are trying to cut you off in any away either. 

Speak as long as you like, or 5 minutes is all entitled to you. 

Thank you all for being here. 

Our first person on our panel is Sujatha Jahagirdar. Not bad, 

huh? 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSE
53 

Ms. JAHAGIRDAR. Perfect. 

The CHAIRMAN. Okay. Ms. J is the program director for Student—I am not trying it twice—for Student PIRG, a nonpartisan 

effort to mobilize young voters. She has worked to study contemporary young voting turnout trends, as well as worked to train student leaders across the country in the skills of mobilizing young 

voters. I commend Ms. J on her efforts and thank her for coming 

here today. And you may start your testimony. 

STATEMENTS OF SUJATHA JAHAGIRDAR, PROGRAM DIRECTOR, STUDENT PIRGs NEW VOTERS PROJECT; MATTHEW 

SEGAL, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, STUDENT ASSOCIATION FOR 

VOTER EMPOWERMENT; LAUREN BURDETTE, STUDENT, UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA; AND JACQUELINE VI, STUDENT, AMERICAN UNIVERSITY 

STATEMENT OF SUJATHA JAHAGIRDAR 

Ms. JAHAGIRDAR. Thank you, Chairman Brady and the committee, for—— 

The CHAIRMAN. It is appropriate, if you like, you can pronounce 

my name to the people. We will be even. 

Ms. JAHAGIRDAR [continuing]. For providing the opportunity to 

address you today. I am a program director with the Student 

PIRGs New Voters Project. The Student PIRGs are the largest student civic engagement program in the country. Our New Voters 

Project is the oldest and largest effort, nonpartisan on-the-ground 

effort, to mobilize young voters in the Nation. As we speak right 

now 85 organizers are working on 150 college campuses in 24 

States running massive voter registration and mobilization drives 

that combine on-the-ground and on-line organizing to ensure that 

young people turn out on November 4th. 

Young voter participation is essential to our democracy. And recognizing that, in 1972 Americans granted young Americans between the ages of 18 and 21 the ability to vote. Immediately subsequent to that decision, young voter rates actually went on the decline for several decades. But the great news is that in recent elections young voter turnout is on the rise. And, in fact, in 2004, 

young voter turnout increased by 11 percent, which was triple the 

increase rate of the general population. And in 2008, in States 

where comparison data is available, young voter turnout rates actually doubled. 

So we are at a very exciting time right now in our Nation’s history, and as policymakers and local officials and education officials 

look at these trends, we should be asking ourselves one fundamental question: How can we keep the momentum going? How can 

we ensure that young people continue to show up in bigger and bigger numbers? 

And despite the importance of resolving this question, several 

barriers continue—persist that make it more difficult for young 

people to show up and cast their ballot at the polls. And what I 

am going to spend the next few minutes on in my testimony is 

identifying where those problem areas are and proposing solutions 

to those problems. 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSE
54 

The first are restrictive photo identification laws. Every State in 

the country requires its citizens to present proof of or swear to residency in order to cast a ballot. Unfortunately, in specific instances, 

these requirements end up creating unintentional barriers to student voters. 

The State that has most illustrated this problem is Indiana. During the primaries, a new Indiana law came in effect that actually 

required students to present either a State-issued or a Federalissued photo ID when they arrived at the polls. The problem with 

this law is that many students don’t actually possess this required 

identification. And, in fact, in just a few hours, a small team of our 

staff in Indiana documented a dozen cases of students who showed 

up at the polls to vote on primary day and weren’t able to cast a 

ballot because they lacked the required identification. And these 

were not surreptitious attempts at voter fraud; these were brighteyed, bushy-tailed students who showed up very excited to exercise 

their rights as citizens for the first time. 

And, in fact, at Saint Mary’s College, which is a sister school to 

Notre Dame University, two students I talked to really struck a 

chord. They both volunteer at the local elementary school, they are 

members of the campus ministry, and they just happened to be 

born in Illinois and were at Saint Mary’s for college. And they arrived at the polls armed with identification, with their school ID, 

with their birth certificate, with a card issued by the local registrar, with their driver’s license from Illinois, and they were refused the ability to vote that day. And when I talked to them, really it was hard to miss the tone of dejection and really disillusionment at the message that they had been sent that day, which was 

they are not welcome in our democracy. So that is voter identification laws. 

Other issues that have arisen have already been mentioned by 

the committee, which are restrictive interpretations of State law. In 

Virginia there have been recent instances where local registrars 

have issued warnings to students predicting potential dire consequences for registering to vote where you go to school. And unfortunately, Virginia is not the only place where this has arisen. In 

fact, in South Carolina local registrars have provided similar advice 

to students. In fact, this was reported just today in the press. A 

local registrar in South Carolina around Furman University tells 

students that if they are registered as—if they are included on 

their parents’ tax returns as dependents, that they are not able to 

vote where they go to school as a blanket policy, which is incorrect 

information. 

To prevent a repeat of the Virginia Tech incident and similar incidents across the country, States should withdraw confusing and 

restrictive guidance for student photos that are subject to gross 

misinterpretation at the local level and lead to enormous barriers 

to students voting. 

And the final challenge to voters that I would like to talk about 

today is inadequate voting infrastructure. As has already been 

mentioned today, we anticipate very large increases in youth turnout on November 4th. It is very exciting for democracy. And if you 

just look at the turnout in 2008 in the primaries, you get a sense 

of how big this might be. In Ohio, for example, all 88 counties in 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSE
55 

the State had turnouts in the 2008 primaries that were greater 

than 70 percent of the turnout in the 2004 general elections. That 

means that the turnout in the primaries was approaching the turnout in the general election from the previous cycle. And the national average is usually—the historical average is usually only 30 

percent. So if registrars are looking at their numbers and just trying to figure out what resources they should have, if they are trying to figure out how many pollworkers they should have, how 

many ballots they should order, how many voting machines they 

have, if they just look at the 2004 numbers and increase it by 10 

or 20 or 30 percent, we are worried that we are going to see massive shortages across the country, especially in student-dominated 

precincts where I think we will see even greater increases. So it is 

absolutely essential for local officials to anticipate these increases. 

And finally, under the infrastructure category, really we should 

see an increase in the number of on-campus polling places that are 

placed at institutes of higher education across the country. On-campus polling places make it easier for students to vote. They ease 

the burden on off-campus polling places. And most importantly, 

they help the university themselves fulfill the educational mission 

of the campus by providing students with the ability to have their 

first lesson in civic education. 

So in conclusion, again I would like to thank the committee for 

holding this hearing, for looking into this important issue. I would 

like to thank Congressman Ehlers for standing on campus and registering voters when he was in Michigan. And the great news is we 

are here because young people are voting in bigger and bigger 

numbers. It is really great for democracy. And the thing that we 

should do is take a few simple steps to make it even easier for 

young people to show up at the polls, and by doing so we will send 

a strong message to students who are across the country and here 

in this room that their vote is not only encouraged, but aggressively advocated for. 

Thank you very much. 

The CHAIRMAN. Thank you. 

[The statement of Ms. Jahagirdar follows:] 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSE
56 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 89 47731A.028
57 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 90 47731A.029
58 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 91 47731A.030
59 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 92 47731A.031
60 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 93 47731A.032
61 

The CHAIRMAN. Mr. Matthew Segal is the executive director of 

Student Association for Voter Empowerment, a Washington, D.C.- 

based nonpartisan organization founded and run by students with 

a mission to increase youth voter turnout by removing access barriers and promoting stronger civic education. Mr. Segal has truly 

been an effective advocate for students’ rights, and we are honored 

to have him here today and listen to his testimony. 

STATEMENT OF MATTHEW SEGAL 

Mr. SEGAL. Thank you. 

Good afternoon, Mr. Chairman, Ranking Member Ehlers and the 

committee members. I thank you for inviting me here today, and 

particularly grateful for the opportunity to testify on such an essential and pressing topic. 

I also want to thank my friend Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky 

for her leadership in joining Senator Dick Durbin and Congressman Steven LaTourette to introduce the bipartisan Student 

VOTER Act of 2008. 

My name is Matthew Segal, and I am the executive director of 

the Student Association for Voter Empowerment, otherwise known 

as SAVE. A national nonprofit association founded and run by students, SAVE’s mission is to increase youth voter turnout by removing access barriers and promoting stronger civic education. I speak 

here today representing a constituency of over 10,000 members on 

30 college campuses across the country. 

Almost 4 years ago as a 19-year-old college student, I entered the 

Rayburn Building to testify before the House Judiciary Committee 

panel about the 10-hour-long voting lines at Kenyon College in 

Gambier, Ohio, where I recently graduated. I told the panel then 

that voter disenfranchisement had occurred, and that we should 

never make voting this arduous a task ever again, and that was 

a quote. 

Unfortunately, today I have little good news to report about the 

legislative steps we have taken since then in order to guarantee an 

accessible and participatory voting system for our Nation’s college 

students. 

Many of the student voting problems I will address today were 

compiled in a hearing SAVE held last summer where we invited 

kids around the country to come talk about the problems they face, 

and I ask the Chairman for permission to submit our 50-page report into the record. 

The CHAIRMAN. Okay. 

Mr. SEGAL. Thank you. 

As we all know, in order to vote, we have to register, and in some 

cases students face overt legislative attempts to prevent them from 

registering at their college or university. For example, SAVE heard 

testimony that every year a bill is introduced in the Maine State 

Legislature prohibiting students living in college-owned housing 

from claiming residency. While the bill has not yet passed, its purpose is unclear other than to encumber the rights of thousands of 

college students who wish to vote in their new communities. According to the former vice president of the Maine College Democrats who testified before our SAVE committee, the State legislator 

who introduced this bill claimed it could cut the potential for voter 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSE
62 

fraud, despite being unable to present any previous evidence of 

voter fraud in college districts. And he also went on to say that college students do not have a vested interest in the State of Maine, 

and that they would dilute the voting power of long-term residents 

in their counties. 

College students live 9 months of a year in their new homes, 

however, and provide substantial economic support to their college 

communities. But most importantly, college students have a legal 

right to vote where they attend school if they live in that State for 

30 days. Just because students live on a campus does not mean 

Federal law can be ignored. 

Fortunately, this particular bill did not pass, but many local 

boards of elections across the country effectively practice the same 

discriminatory statements that the Maine Legislature preaches. 

Since State statutes expressly prohibit the use of a P.O. Box for 

registration purposes, officials frequently turn student voters away 

by failing to recognize dormitory addresses as legitimate residences. 

Finally, several instances of election officials presenting residency questionnaires to students have been reported, another student testified in our hearing last summer. In 2004, the board of 

elections in Williamsburg, Virginia, asked students to complete a 

questionnaire relating to the location of their parents’ home, possession of property outside the town, and their place of worship. 

Such detailed information was not required, however, of other residents and was collected most likely to establish a reason to reject 

a student’s registration form, by all means a discriminatory practice. 

Misinformation campaigns, as was previously alluded to today, 

are another example of what hinders youth participation. My colleague spoke on Virginia Tech, and I learned this very morning 

about another case at Colorado College where the El Paso County 

clerk also told students that their parents would lose their ability 

to file them as a dependent on their tax forms if they were to vote 

in Colorado and be from out of State. In 2004, at the University 

of Pennsylvania, fliers were also posted around talking about the 

possibility for students losing their driver’s licenses or scholarships 

or grant money were they to vote in Pennsylvania. The key difference between Penn and Virginia Tech, however, was that the 

posters at Penn did not appear until after the registration deadline, 

and, therefore, several students were intimidated from voting completely because it was too late for them to register for an absentee 

ballot. 

While long lines or deceptive fliers can create a clear graphic 

image of college student voting barriers, perhaps the most insidious 

obstacle are voter ID loss. Now, my friend Jan Schakowsky spoke 

to this earlier, so to avoid redundancy I will move on and finally 

say that I would be remiss if I did not address the long lines. 

I find it curious that many of the long lines reported in 2004 and 

2006 took place in heavily populated student communities. Kenyon 

students waited 10 hours. Oberlin students waited 5 hours; 

Dennison, 4 hours; and Bowling Green College, 3 hours. The list 

continues. In some instances the intent here might have been egregious, but in most instances boards of elections allocate voting maVerDate Nov 24 2008 22:43 May 15, 2009 Jkt 047731 PO 00000 Frm 00064 Fmt 6633 Sfmt 6602 E:\HR\OC\A731.XXX A731

pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSE
63 

chines or resources on the basis of past voter turnout and were not 

prepared for an increase in youth participation which we have now 

steadily seen in the last 8 years of midterm and Presidential elections. At my alma mater, Kenyon College, there were two voting 

machines allocated for 1,300 registered voters, one of which broke 

down. 

So let me ask this question: What standards or safeguards are 

in place to ensure that Kenyon College 2004 can never happen 

again? Most States still do not have a quota or ratio of how many 

machines or ballots they allocate per number of registered voters. 

Simply put, we need these safeguards. 

In closing, I want to say that SAVE is fully committed to protecting student voting rights and removing the unique and challenging barriers that many young Americans face when attempting 

to vote. SAVE is now partnered with EVOCA Voice Services so that 

any young person can use their mobile phones to call a 1–866 number on our Web site and upload audio accounts of their voting experience on line. We also have partnered with Campus Advantage, a 

premier residential life organization, to launch 

studentvotingrights.org, which we also encourage elected officials 

and the media to visit so they can continue to monitor young voter 

access stories and track disenfranchisement among our particular 

group of young Americans. 

Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for inviting me here today. I look forward to updating this committee on student voting accounts 

throughout the coming weeks and months, and more importantly, 

I also look forward to achieving bipartisan election reform legislation to ensure that all Americans, including young Americans attending colleges, can exercise their rights of citizenship and vote 

where they live. 

Thank you. 

The CHAIRMAN. Thank you. 

[The statement of Mr. Segal follows:] 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSE
64 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 101 here 47731A.033
65 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 102 here 47731A.034
66 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 103 here 47731A.035
67 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 104 here 47731A.036
68 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 105 here 47731A.037
69 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 106 here 47731A.038
70 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 107 here 47731A.039
71 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 108 here 47731A.040
72 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 109 here 47731A.041
73 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 110 here 47731A.042
74 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 111 here 47731A.043
75 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 112 here 47731A.044
76 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 113 here 47731A.045
77 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 114 here 47731A.046
78 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 115 here 47731A.047
79 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 116 here 47731A.048
80 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 117 here 47731A.049
81 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 118 here 47731A.050
82 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 119 here 47731A.051
83 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 120 here 47731A.052
84 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 121 here 47731A.053
85 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 122 here 47731A.054
86 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 123 here 47731A.055
87 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 124 here 47731A.056
88 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 125 here 47731A.057
89 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 126 here 47731A.058
90 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 127 here 47731A.059
91 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 128 here 47731A.060
92 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 129 here 47731A.061
93 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 130 here 47731A.062
94 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 131 here 47731A.063
95 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 132 here 47731A.064
96 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 133 here 47731A.065
97 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 134 here 47731A.066
98 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 135 here 47731A.067
99 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 136 here 47731A.068
100 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 137 here 47731A.069
101 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 138 here 47731A.070
102 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 139 here 47731A.071
103 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 140 here 47731A.072
104 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 141 here 47731A.073
105 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 142 here 47731A.074
106 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 143 here 47731A.075
107 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 144 here 47731A.076
108 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 145 here 47731A.077
109 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 146 here 47731A.078
110 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 147 here 47731A.079
111 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 148 here 47731A.080
112 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 149 here 47731A.081
113 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 150 here 47731A.082
114 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 151 here 47731A.083
115 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 152 here 47731A.084
116 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 153 here 47731A.085
117 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 154 here 47731A.086
118 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 155 here 47731A.087
119 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 156 here 47731A.088
120 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 157 here 47731A.089
121 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 158 here 47731A.090
122 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 159 here 47731A.091
123 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 160 here 47731A.092
124 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 161 here 47731A.093
125 

The CHAIRMAN. We do have a vote. We are going to go a little 

further, as far as we can go, but we will come back for questions. 

We will come back to ask questions for you. 

Lauren Burdette is a junior at the University of Pennsylvania. 

I am delighted to have Lauren here today with us to share some 

of her experiences with the voting process. 

Lauren. 

STATEMENT OF LAUREN BURDETTE 

Ms. BURDETTE. Chairman Brady, Ranking Member Ehlers, committee members, thank you for the opportunity to testify today at 

this important hearing. Thank you also to the Student Association 

for Voter Empowerment for inviting me here to speak on behalf of 

student voters. 

My name is Lauren Burdette, and I am here to represent my perspective as a student leader at the University of Pennsylvania. On 

Penn’s campus there is a huge student-led effort to register other 

students to vote. We have had a lot of success reaching out to students who are involved in groups on campus. We have a table on 

the main walkway every day between 10 and 4 p.m. Where students can register and drop off their completed forms. We hang 

posters throughout campus on a weekly basis, advertise on our 

listservs Web page and Facebook page. Penn does not allow dorm 

canvassing, although we are staging weekend off-campus and fraternity house canvassing. Overall we have had a lot of success 

working alongside Penn’s administration and other student groups 

to promote voter registration at Penn this semester. 

Some of the problems we have run into, however, have serious 

potential to hamper student voting. The bureaucracy and inefficiency of the Philadelphia board of elections is staggering. The 

voter registration deadline is typically 1 month before the actual 

election. Philadelphia does not have same-day registration. The 

biggest problem students face is not knowing whether their registration form was processed before the deadline passes. It generally takes 4 to 6 weeks once the form is received by the board 

of elections before a voter registration card is issued. If something 

is wrong with a form and it is not processed, the board of elections 

does not notify the individual; therefore, most students do not realize their form did not go through until they actually reach the 

polls. At this point they are unable to vote normally in the election. 

But under the 2002 Help America Vote Act, they should be able 

to vote provisionally. Unfortunately, most pollworkers are not 

trained properly, and most are not well versed in voter registration 

law. In the 2008 Pennsylvania primary, several Penn students who 

registered to vote were not on the rolls and were turned away at 

the polls by uninformed and untrained pollworkers instead of being 

given the option to vote provisionally. This is an egregious problem, 

especially in Pennsylvania, since it is a critical swing State in all 

Presidential elections. But more importantly, it illegitimizes the entire voting process for students, making it less likely that they will 

vote in the future. 

I do not think this is a concerted effort to disenfranchise students; rather, it is ineffective training and an uninformed group of 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSE
126 

pollworkers unintentionally preventing students from exercising 

their full rights under the law. 

There are other examples, however, of a much more complicated 

misinformation campaign that results in students not knowing 

their full rights under the law and purposefully not voting because 

of those incorrect beliefs. Many students are told that voting at 

their college residence will cause them to be taken off their parents’ 

health insurance or prevent their parents from claiming them as 

a dependent, or will cancel their Federal financial aid, none of 

which are true. Still other students are told they must vote absentee if they are going to vote at all. While some students manage 

to navigate the complicated absentee ballot system successfully, 

many do not get their ballots turned in on time or filled out correctly and thus are not allowed to vote at all. 

Beyond silent misinformation campaigns, there are overt examples of false information being posted around campuses and in the 

community. I have an example of a flier that I would like to submit 

for the record that was plastered on the 37th Street SEPTA stop 

at Penn’s campus that said in a rather bipartisan manner that 

anyone who has an outstanding parking ticket will be arrested if 

they try to vote on election day. Clearly the letter is not official, 

and I personally do not believe it is targeting Penn students, but 

instead is targeting the employees who work at Penn or the hospital at the University of Pennsylvania. Regardless, the only spot 

these have been found so far is at the trolley stops on Penn’s campus. 

We are continually combating false information, and it makes the 

job of registering students and turning them out to vote much more 

difficult. 

A final factor that makes voter registration and voting itself difficult for students is their mobility. Most students change residences each year they are in college, which means they need to reregister. This is a time-consuming, confusing and often unknown 

requirement for voting. 

One perennial problem is that voter rolls have multiple individuals listed at the same address. Dormitories especially have a high 

turnover rate. This process makes figuring out who actually lives 

there and is therefore eligible to vote very difficult. To combat this 

problem, for the first time this year we are telling college students 

to put their room numbers in the apartment number section of the 

form. No one typically does this because a college student’s room 

number is not part of his or her address like a normal apartment 

is. They always deliver to a box number, which is different from 

the room number. By ensuring the room number is listed, we can 

verify without a doubt who actually lives in the room and who 

owns the box number should the eligibility of any of the voters be 

questioned. 

A major part of an easier voter registration for students lies in 

allowing for same-day registration on college campuses everywhere. 

This will alleviate many of the problems students face by allowing 

them to change their address at the polling place, receive accurate 

answers to any questions they may have, and, more importantly, 

to ensure that they have the same right as every other citizen in 

the United States, the right to vote. 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSE
127 

Thank you. 

The CHAIRMAN. Thank you. 

[The statement of Ms. Burdette follows:] 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSE
128 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert offset folio 168 here 47731A.094
129 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert offset folio 169 here 47731A.095
130 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert offset folio 170 here 47731A.096
131 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert offset folio 171 here 47731A.097
132 

The CHAIRMAN. We do a good job at the University of Pennsylvania. I happen to be prejudiced toward that university. I teach 

there, and still teach there for the last 13 years. I want everybody 

to know what a great job you did representing them. Unfortunately, could we put you on hold? You will be the last and the best, 

I am sure, and not the least, that is for sure. We do got to vote. 

We will come right back. Thank you. Just relax. We will be right 

back. Thank you. 

[Recess.] 

The CHAIRMAN. I would like to call the hearing back to order, 

please. I apologize for our brief recess due to votes. 

Our next member of the panel is Jackie Vi. 

Ms. VI. Vi. 

The CHAIRMAN. Jackie Vi. Jackie Vi is a current student at 

American University, and we look forward to her testimony. Thank 

you for coming here today. You may proceed. 

STATEMENT OF JACQUELINE VI 

Ms. VI. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman and members of 

this committee. I am honored to have the opportunity to appear before this committee to discuss college student voting. My statement 

will be brief because I think this issue is simple. 

College students should be given all the information they need 

to make well-informed decisions about where and how to vote. 

My name is Jacqueline Vi. I am 18 years old and a freshman at 

American University, majoring in international relations. I hope to 

one day work for the State Department at an embassy overseas. 

My feelings about voting as a college student comes from my 

basic belief that with a right to vote comes responsibility. As a 

young adult voting for the first time, I feel it is important to be 

aware of whom and what one is voting for on Election Day. Voting 

is a sacred right, and democracy works best when voters know 

about what is going on in the world and in their community. 

At this committee’s hearing yesterday many of the witnesses 

talked about the importance of educated voters. And I think they 

are right. Part of the college experience, in addition to learning 

math, science and history, is learning how to think for ourselves 

and how to make adult decisions. I think that the issue of voting 

is a perfect example of what I mean. I am from Lakewood, California, which is in California’s 39th Congressional District, represented by Congresswoman Linda Sanchez. 

In March of this year, 1 month before my 18th birthday, I registered to vote. As a legal resident of California I feel that my vote 

would be better served in the community where I have lived for 

most of my life and which I remain to have ties to, because my 

family still lives there. For example, in the upcoming election California’s Proposition 6, also known as the Safe Neighborhood Act, 

will be on the ballot. Prop 6 will take away State funding from education and direct it towards eliminating bail and increasing penalties for several crimes. As a former student in the public school 

system, I believe that the money would be better spent on bettering 

the education system rather than paying for longer jail time for 

criminals. 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSE
133 

I know that several members of this committee are also from 

California, Mr. McCarthy, Mr. Lungren, Ms. Lofgren and Mrs. 

Davis. And whether your supporters oppose Prop 6 I am sure that 

just because you spend a lot of time here in D.C., like I do, that 

doesn’t mean that you don’t want to be able to vote on its proposition on Election Day. 

Many students like me choose to keep their legal residency as 

home because we feel connected to the place where we grew up. 

For students like us, we believe that we should vote for the elected 

official who represents the community of our legal residence and 

vote on issues that impact the place that we consider home. I don’t 

know where I will live after graduation, but I know as of right now 

my home is still California. 

However, in order to be able to vote as a Californian I have to 

vote absentee. I do not believe that just because I will physically 

be in Washington on November 4th that I should vote in Washington, D.C., especially because I am more like a visitor than a 

resident of this city. I know that decisions made by the local government officials in Washington, D.C. May have an impact on me, 

but I have a California driver’s license and in my heart I know I 

am a Californian. 

I know that every State has different rules about how to vote absentee, but it is easier in California than in some other States like 

Virginia. But I still managed to register and request an absentee 

ballot without any problems. First, I went to the Post Office to get 

a voter registration application. It only took a few minutes to fill 

out. I mailed it back to the election boards and they mailed me 

back a confirmation. After that, requesting an absentee ballot only 

took one focal. I expect my ballot to arrive at my address here in 

D.C. sometime this week. 

I know that some people say that it is too complicated for students to request an absentee ballot, but I think that is just an excuse for laziness. Sure, it would be much easier to roll out of bed 

on Election Day and then think about voting rather than planning 

in advance to vote absentee. But I don’t think that kind of attitude 

is the right one for our Nation’s young people. 

Shouldn’t we strive to develop civic pride and awareness in college students? After all, aren’t they the future of this country? 

Plus, these days people move all around the country more frequently than our parents’ generation did, either for jobs or for 

other reasons. We will need to know how to register to vote in 

these new cities and towns. What better time to teach young people 

these important lessons than in college? 

I would like to thank the committee for listening to my testimony, and I really appreciate the committee’s interest in the importance of student voting rights. In addition, I would like to thank 

you for giving me the opportunity to participate in this hearing. 

Not many college freshmen can say they have testified before the 

U.S. Congress on an issue directly impacting college students. I 

will never forget this experience, and I would be happy to answer 

any of your questions you might have. 

[The statement of Ms. Vi follows:] 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSE
134 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert offset folio 178 here 47731A.098
135 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert offset folio 179 here 47731A.099
136 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert offset folio 180 here 47731A.100
137 

The CHAIRMAN. Thank you, thank you very much. 

I would like to start off. I have heard testimony that there have 

been some problems at the polls because of the poll workers or poll 

watchers. Do any of your organizations, are you putting any kind 

of a program together where you can entice some of these young 

college students—I understand our poll workers average 72 years 

old. So they may have a wealth of knowledge or maybe they may 

move a little slower than somebody 22 years old. That is not saying 

nothing bad about the 72-year olds, but wouldn’t it be nice to have 

some type of program where you can get more people, more college 

students right there on campus where the voting booth is, to have 

them there? And I shouldn’t have to say that if there are people 

doing things that aren’t right, and we heard about and I saw the 

fliers that they are passing out, if they see somebody right there, 

there is a student right there, they will be identified by just who 

you are. You can be identified by wearing your sweater or whatever. You can’t wear anything partisan there. But that would 

maybe deter them from trying to do something that they can 

maybe try to fool somebody, because they may know somebody 

there who is knowledgeable. They go to class and you learn it. I 

think it would be a good idea to get that done and they can help 

us set up the election process. Have you been addressing that? 

Mr. SEGAL. Yes, Sujatha and I both, both our organizations have 

worked really hard to make sure that poll workers are young and 

that young people who have grown up in this age of technology are 

the ones overseeing many of the electronic voting systems, and that 

young people are helping the elderly carry the ballots in the different boxes and the voting equipment at the polling place. So we 

have found that they have a great relationship. We are trying to 

get young people to take ownership of elections as administrators, 

and both the PIRGs, SAVE, and a host of other youth organizations 

have poll worker programs currently in place. 

Ms. JAHAGIRDAR. And we do believe there is a legitimate need at 

the local level for greater resources to administer elections, and 

among those are poll workers. So from a pure manpower perspective, we are very active in recruiting. In fact, next Wednesday we 

are sending out an e-mail blast to 250,000 of our student members 

recruiting, actively recruiting poll workers for the upcoming election. 

The CHAIRMAN. That would be helpful for a lot of reasons. Also, 

it is helpful to have these hearings to make it visible, bring to light 

a whole lot of issues that are happening. It would be good if you 

can get me or get the committee some of the things. We have got 

a flier that was out there that was completely erroneous. Any other 

things that they are doing, we would like to know about that. We 

may be able to stop it or maybe let other people know that we 

know about it and educated before it happens. After it happens, 

that ship sails. It is really tough to bring it back in again. But we 

have still a little bit of time, 40 some days, to try to hopefully stop 

it and the propaganda issues is what I am really speaking of. Let 

people know that we know that and make them know that you 

don’t lose your driver’s license, you don’t lose your student loan or 

you don’t lose your residency. 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSE
138 

In the City of Philadelphia you can’t get locked up for parking 

tickets. I don’t know where else, but not in Philadelphia. But if you 

let us know more of those things, it would be helpful. 

So thank all of you. 

Mr. Ehlers. 

Mr. EHLERS. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. During your testimony 

a number of you listed a lot of different things that happened that 

you thought were bad and terrible, and they probably were. I just 

have to tell you that that it is not necessarily malicious. We just 

went down to vote. We spent 45 minutes casting one vote, 15 minutes, or probably 10 minutes, discovering that there was an error 

in the bill. We then had to proceed to unvote and then send it back 

up to the Rules Committee, and then we finally voted on an inconsequential bill. So in 45 minutes we accomplished one very minor 

task. People make mistakes. 

I do have to admit I get a little nervous when you talk about people 72-years-old making a lot of mistakes, since I am older than 

that and I might take that personally. But in fact a lot of people—— 

The CHAIRMAN. He is directing that at me. You are fine. 

Mr. EHLERS. No, no, everyone. 

At any rate, the point is don’t always assume that people are out 

to deliberately restrict your right to vote. Clearly some are, but not 

necessarily all. There were a lot of misunderstandings that have 

taken place, largely because poll workers, bless their souls, they 

are wonderful people, they work very hard, but they do this only 

a couple times a year. And when you do something just a couple 

times a year, it is very easy to make mistakes. 

Ms. Jahagirdar, you talked about the problems with photo ID. I 

take it you were talking about Indiana. 

Ms. JAHAGIRDAR. Yes. 

Mr. EHLERS. I was a bit puzzled by that, because I don’t know 

the exact requirements of the law there. But isn’t a photo ID issued 

by the university adequate to establish? 

Ms. JAHAGIRDAR. Yeah. Well, there actually ended up being a 

distinct, quite a bit of a discrepancy, in a student’s ability to vote 

based on that particular provision, because if you went to a public 

university that did count because it had a photo ID and it was 

issued by the State. But if you went to a private institution it 

wasn’t issued by the State. And so where we found instances of 

students not being able to vote were largely around Notre Dame 

and other private universities. And I don’t believe that that was an 

intention of the law. I don’t think they were intending to try to create a separate set of criteria for students who attend private 

schools, but that is what happened. 

Mr. EHLERS. Okay. Ms. Vi, I was very impressed with your testimony, and I hope you have a very successful career in the Foreign 

Service. 

Ms. VI. Thank you. 

Mr. EHLERS. I do appreciate the point you make and that is partly because it emphasized the point I was making earlier. No one 

should try to force students into either mode. They have the right 

to vote either in their place of residence, their home, or where they 

are attending school. I think they should have that choice because, 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSE
139 

as I said, my first few years I chose my home, I was familiar with 

it. Later on I chose the place where I was going to school because 

I had become familiar with that. And so I think the real issue here 

is to make sure that students have the right to vote, that they can 

vote and that they have a choice of which jurisdiction they want 

to vote in, and I think that is about all we can do here. 

We are writers of the law. We are not implementers of the law. 

And so even though we like to hear the stories about what has 

gone wrong so we can try to correct it, we can’t directly correct it 

other than by rewriting the law. 

Mr. Chairman, I have no further questions. 

The CHAIRMAN. Thank you. And again thank all of for your interest, your participation. Someone made a point earlier that when 

you deter a young voter, especially a first time voter, a college 

voter, from voting it is really hard to get them back interested 

again. So hopefully this hearing will bring some light to that and 

hopefully we will be able to avoid all that. 

Ms. JAHAGIRDAR. I apologize. I request permission to enter the 

campaign tool kit for the New Voters Project into the record. 

The CHAIRMAN. Without objection, you may. 

[Whereupon, at 4:19 p.m., the committee was adjourned.] 

[The information follows:] 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSE
140 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 187 here 47731A.101
141 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 188 here 47731A.102
142 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 189 here 47731A.103
143 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 190 here 47731A.104
144 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 191 here 47731A.105
145 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 192 here 47731A.106
146 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 193 here 47731A.107
147 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 194 here 47731A.108
148 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 195 here 47731A.109
149 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 196 here 47731A.110
150 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 197 here 47731A.111
151 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 198 here 47731A.112
152 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 199 here 47731A.113
153 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 200 here 47731A.114
154 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 201 here 47731A.115
155 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 202 here 47731A.116
156 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 203 here 47731A.117
157 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 204 here 47731A.118
158 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 205 here 47731A.119
159 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 206 here 47731A.120
160 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 207 here 47731A.121
161 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 208 here 47731A.122
162 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 209 here 47731A.123
163 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 210 here 47731A.124
164 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 211 here 47731A.125
165 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 212 here 47731A.126
166 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 213 here 47731A.127
167 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 214 here 47731A.128
168 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 215 here 47731A.129
169 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 216 here 47731A.130
170 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 217 here 47731A.131
171 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 218 here 47731A.132
172 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 219 here 47731A.133
173 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 220 here 47731A.134
174 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 221 here 47731A.135
175 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 222 here 47731A.136
176 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 223 here 47731A.137
177 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 224 here 47731A.138
178 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 225 here 47731A.139
179 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 226 here 47731A.140
180 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 227 here 47731A.141
181 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 228 here 47731A.142
182 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 229 here 47731A.143
183 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 230 here 47731A.144
184 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 231 here 47731A.145
185 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 232 here 47731A.146
186 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 233 here 47731A.147
187 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 234 here 47731A.148
188 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 235 here 47731A.149
189 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 236 here 47731A.150
190 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 237 here 47731A.151
191 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 238 here 47731A.152
192 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 239 here 47731A.153
193 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 240 here 47731A.154
194 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 241 here 47731A.155
195 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 242 here 47731A.156
196 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 243 here 47731A.157
197 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 244 here 47731A.158
198 

The CHAIRMAN. Thank you all again. And without objection all 

members will have 5 legislative days to submit to the Clerk additional written questions for the witnesses or to submit any additional material for inclusion in the record. Again, I thank all of 

you, and this hearing is now adjourned. 

[The information follows:] 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSE
199 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 246 here 47731A.159
200 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 247 here 47731A.160
201 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 249/300 here 47731A.161
202 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with HOUSEInsert graphic folio 249/300 here 47731A.161