Here’s a DNC update on Voter Expansion efforts at college campuses (from the 3.14.21 Communications Update), with links to cited articles:
On Tuesday [March 11, 2014], DNC officials held a press conference call with college and university reporters in key states to discuss the DNC’s new Voter Expansion Project. The initiative, introduced by former President Bill Clinton two weeks ago, will take the DNC beyond simply protecting the right to vote, to being the leader in expanding the vote by building and maintaining a new permanent infrastructure for the Democratic Party and its candidates. One aspect of the initiative will help ensure all students can register and have their vote counted. Below you’ll find news clips from Tuesday’s press call, and how the initiative will impact these campuses:
DNC announces plan to expand voter rights
The News Record//Bryan Shupe The Democratic National Committee is moving forward with a project officials say is aimed at making voting more accessible to college students and young Americans. The Voter Expansion Project, announced by former President Bill Clinton Feb. 27, is intended to combat voting laws the DNC considers “overly burdensome to students.” The project would make it easier to create more voters, regardless of their political affiliation, said Pratt Wiley, DNC director of voter expansion, during a conference call with college media. “We measure our success by making sure that everyone can vote,” Wiley said.
Democrats launch national voter expansion project
The Badger Herald// Alia Carlton-Tahiri With the state Supreme Court’s recent hearing arguments in cases regarding voter ID late last month and Gov. Scott Walker’s recent announcement regarding the possibility of a special legislative session this summer to review state voter ID laws, the Democratic National Committee plans to launch a national effort to expand voting. With the help of former President Bill Clinton, the DNC has proposed a voter expansion project in response to barriers the committee believes make it difficult to vote. DNC Director of Voter Expansion Pratt Wiley said many obstacles have prevented voters, especially college students, from reaching the polls.
DNC launches project to increase college voter registration
The Daily Michigan//Allana Akhtar As Democratic strategists begin gearing up for midterm elections in the fall, they are again planning to make young voters a key component of their strategy. The Democratic National Committee held a conference call Tuesday for student newspaper reporters at colleges and universities to highlight its new Voter Expansion Project — an initiative aimed at increasing student voter turnout. The project was initiated by former President Bill Clinton last month. In a video message to DNC supporters, he explained how the project would work to counter voter identification laws and other provisions that restrict voting and voter registration.
DNC aims to increase registration, accuracy
The Daily Lobo//Chloe Henson The Democratic National Committee has launched a new initiative that aims to increase the number of voters nationwide. During a press conference call Tuesday, DNC Director of Voter Expansion Pratt Wiley said the Voter Expansion Project aims to make sure that every eligible U.S. citizen can register to vote, that every registered voter can vote and that votes are accurately counted. Former President Bill Clinton announced the start of the project on Feb. 27. The project will target groups that the DNC believes face major obstacles to voting, such as college students.
Voter Expansion Project reignites political struggle
The Post// Lucas Daprile As former President Bill Clinton launches a campaign to change requirements to vote, another political battle between the Democrats and Republicans has ignited yet again. Clinton’s “Voter Expansion Project” has the support of the left, which says lessening restrictions will enable more Americans to vote. “Why are Republicans selecting the forms of ID that don’t cover most people in their state?” Pratt Wiley, the Democratic National Committee’s director of the program, asked on a conference call Tuesday afternoon. “Why is a student ID not acceptable?” In June, a controversial, Republican-added amendment that tied in-state tuition rates to a public university’s decision to give out-of-state students a letter proving residency so they can vote in Ohio was struck out of the Ohio budget. It would have cost public universities in Ohio a combined total of about $370 million in tuition fees with Ohio University losing about $12 million, officials estimated.
DNC Communications Update 3.14.2014 (423.4 KiB, 1,249 hits)