Rockin' the Vote before age 18

Rockin' the Vote before age 18
By Karen Jeffrey
kjeffrey@capecodonline.com
August 15, 2008 6:00 AM

Mark Raymond won't turn 18 until December, and that's a bit of a frustration for him.

He's eager to vote.

The same is true of Adrianne "Andie" Ramirez, 16, who has two more years before she can mark a ballot.

But these two young people, along with a host of friends, are eagerly translating their non-voting status and interest in politics into a project that could put a smile on town clerks across the Cape — early voter registration.

Starting today, a small army of teens — most of whom won't be eligible to vote this year — will run voter registration drives on the Mid- and Lower Cape. Later this month, Raymond will become a familiar sight, registering voters in Hyannis when town Democrats open a campaign headquarters there within the next several weeks.

"I can't vote this time, but I want to see as many people participate in the process as possible," said Raymond, who will be a senior at Barnstable High School this fall.

"I think Obama has generated a lot of interest in the presidential election, but it's also really important for people to vote in the state and local elections. Those probably have a more direct impact on our lives," he said.

Ramirez, who will be a junior this year at Harwich High School, said youth need to get involved regardless if they are old enough to vote. "We have to make ourselves heard, and we have to express our interest and opinions on issues like Darfur and the Sudan," she said.

The youth-run voter registration drives being held this weekend and throughout the summer are in part the brain-child of Harwich resident John Bangert, who emphasized that the registration drives are non-partisan. He anticipates a dozen young people to work the registration tables the first weekend and perhaps more as time goes on.

Although aimed at involving young people and registering them, the effort is also about "getting those people who don't vote, regardless of age or party affiliation, to register and to vote," said Bangert, who along with Sharon Stover-Gleason, a special needs teacher in Harwich, and Sheila House, the Harwich town youth counselor, helped organize the Lower Cape teens for the registration project.

"This is a positive way to get kids involved, a way of getting them to participate in the political process, and hopefully a way of getting other young people to register," he said of the Cape's Rock the Vote effort.

Rock the Vote — a non-partisan youth voter registration group founded in 1990 that uses music, technology and popular culture to encourage young people to register and vote — licensed the Cape group to use its logo, press releases and set up a related Web site.

"This is an election that

has excited a lot of young people," said Patrick Prinzi, 34, recently elected chairman of the Barnstable Democratic Town Committee.

"No doubt there are young McCain supporters out there, but among the people I know, there is a sense that Obama is inspiring young people much in the same way John Kennedy inspired a young generation," he said.

Prinzi, who works as a probation officer, said politics has always been a passion of his. He sees a similar passion in young people, including some who recently attended a Barnstable Democratic Town Committee meeting.

"It was pretty impressive that they took the initiative and came to the meeting. They wanted to find out what we do. They are interested in being involved," Prinzi said.

One of those youths was Raymond, who said he came by his interest in politics naturally. "My parents always have those news programs on. We've talked a lot about these things. My parents have very open minds and want me to develop and express my own opinions. And it's my opinion everyone should exercise their right to vote."

Rock the Vote Local youth-run voter registration drives:

Where: EMS/Eastern Mountain Sports; Route 132, Iyannough Road, Barnstable

When:

Friday, Aug. 15, Noon- 3 p.m.;
Saturday, Aug. 16, Noon-3 p.m.;
Sunday, Aug. 17, Noon-3 p.m.



Where:
The Corner Store;
Queen Anne Road and Route 137;
South Chatham

When: Friday, Aug. 15, Noon-4 p.m.;
Saturday, Aug. 16, Noon-4 p.m.;
Friday, Aug. 22, Noon-4 p.m.;
Saturday, Aug. 23, Noon-4 p.m.



Registration deadlines:

Aug. 27: Last day to register to vote and change party enrollment for state primary on Sept. 16.

Oct. 15: Last day to register to vote in the general election.

Web site and blog run by Cape teens hoping to register voters: capecodrocksthevote.blogspot.com