PROVIDENCE, R.I. –Secretary of State A. Ralph Mollis is urging Exeter-West Greenwich High School students to register to vote during a drive at school this Tuesday from 10:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. in the cafeteria.
"People who register to vote are more likely to become engaged and effective citizens of Rhode Island. Some of these individuals will become our next generation of leaders. Now is the time to reach out to them," said Mollis.
The drive is a partnership with the state Board of Elections, the Exeter Board of Canvassers, the West Greenwich Board of Canvassers and school administrators.
"I am grateful to our partners for their commitment to this important initiative. Our success will pay dividends for decades to come as these new voters cast ballots election after election," said Mollis.
The visit is part of his "Voters in the Classroom" initiative, which targets high school and college students. Mollis plans to stage voter registration drives high schools and colleges leading up to the 2012 elections.
His emphasis on young people reflects the success of voter registration activities over the past few years. More than 700,000 Rhode Islanders were eligible to vote in last November's election.
"The growth in our state will come from reaching out to newly eligible groups like high school students," said Mollis.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, only 48.2 percent of eligible 18-to-24-year-old Rhode Islanders were registered to vote on Election Day 2010. Just 39.2 percent actually voted in that election.
Students who miss the Secretary of State's visit are still in luck. Voter registration forms and answers to frequently asked questions are posted at sos.ri.gov.
The Secretary of State's office prepares the ballots for all federal, state and municipal elections held in Rhode Island. In addition, the office maintains the state's central voter registration system and distributes handbooks that explain how to run for office, how to register to vote and how to vote.
Secretary of State Mollis is committed to making it easier to vote, making it easier to do business in Rhode Island and making government more open and accessible. For more information about the programs and services the Secretary of State offers Rhode Islanders, visit sos.ri.gov.
MEDIA CONTACT: Chris Barnett at 222-4293 or cbarnett@sos.ri.gov
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