PROVIDENCE, R.I. – More than 100 Johnston High School students registered to vote and dozens more took home voter registration forms during a voter registration drive sponsored by Secretary of State A. Ralph Mollis today.
“Rhode Island needs citizens who are active and informed. The simple act of registering to vote is a signal that some of these students will go on to be leaders of our state in coming years,” said Mollis.
Mollis visited the school as part of his “Voters in the Classroom” initiative, which is designed to maintain the momentum of last year’s record-setting election season. Statewide, more than 1,500 students have registered to vote since he launched the program earlier this year.
The new emphasis on students reflects the reality of a record-breaking year that saw Rhode Island set new marks for the number of registered voters as well as primary and general election turnout. More than 700,000 people were eligible to vote in last November’s election.
“Nearly 9 out of 10 eligible Rhode Islanders are already registered. The growth in our state will come from reaching out the newly eligible groups like students and recently naturalized citizens,” said Mollis.
Johnston students who missed the Secretary of State’s visit to their school are still in luck. They can find voter registration forms and answers to frequently asked questions at www.sec.state.ri.us.
The Secretary of State’s office plans to visit every Rhode Island high school leading up to the 2010 elections. In order to register, students must be U.S. citizens, residents of Rhode Island and turn age 18 by Election Day 2010.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, only 46 percent of eligible 18-to-24-year-olds were registered to vote on Election Day 2006. Just 22 percent actually voted in that election.
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 for Rhode Islanders to vote, helping businesses grow and making government more open and accessible. For more information about the programs and services the Secretary of State offers Rhode Island, visit www.sec.state.ri.us.
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