I’ve been working on writing this entry for like, a week, but I keep getting caught up in other stuff—oh, the woes of finals week. Let’s just pretend that the timeline of what I’ve written makes sense, eh?

When I woke up this morning, I had an e-mail in my inbox from Rock the Vote, about the Iowa caucuses. I didn’t really know much about what’s going on out there, but when I read the e-mail (which I’ve posted below), I got really angry.

“Over the past week, several campaigns, candidates and political reporters have stated that college students who moved to Iowa to attend school should not vote in the Iowa caucuses.

“These statements are a frustrating and disappointing attempt to suppress the student vote, and are also legally incorrect. According to the Iowa Secretary of State, all Iowa students have the right to vote in the town where they attend college in Iowa. From the Secretary’s website:

‘If you are from another state (i.e. Illinois) and are attending college in Iowa (i.e. Iowa State University), you may register to vote in:

• your Iowa college town or
• your home state (hometown) and vote absentee - subject to the laws of your home state.’

“To tell students that they can only vote in the town that they came from, rather than in the town where they live, is a clear effort to disenfranchise student voters. Attempts on the part of campaigns to deter eligible voters from voting should be forcefully and immediately denounced.

“These statements are even more disturbing given the unprecedented levels of engagement we’re seeing from today’s young voters – both in participating in the 2008 campaigns, organizing their peers to register and vote in the caucuses and primaries, and in their recent historic turnout levels in the 2004 and 2006 elections. Young adults’ growing political participation should be encouraged, not deterred.

“Rock the Vote urges every campaign and candidate to issue a statement that validates students’ right to vote in Iowa and lauds young Americans for their increased engagement in the political process. We also encourage all media outlets to make clear in their reporting leading up to January 3rd that college students have rights equal to any Iowa resident to vote in the Iowa caucuses.

“Students go to a college or university for 4 or 5 years and many stay on in those communities afterwards. They pay sales tax, many work full or part-time jobs and pay income tax, and they are subject to the laws of the community in which they live – they have every right to vote in that community, legally and morally.

“It is important to note that this is an issue larger than the Iowa caucuses. Legally, students have the right to vote where they go to school in virtually every state across the country. Despite this, we see challenges to student voters year after year. As we have in the past, Rock the Vote will make sure all students know their rights in 2008, and will work to ensure all eligible voters are allowed to register and vote in the 2008 elections.

“Rock the Vote’s Iowa program Rock the Caucus aims to mobilize high school and college students to caucus on January 3rd. As always, Rock the Vote will aggressively ensure young people know that if they live in Iowa, they can vote in Iowa, and let them know where candidates stand on important issues like student voting rights.

“Again, Rock the Vote urges every candidate to issue a statement that clearly validates students’ right to vote in Iowa and lauds young Americans for their increased engagement in the political process.

Learn more about our Iowa program and pledge to Rock the Caucus, here: http://www.rockthevote.com/rockthecaucus

First off, I just want to point out that I find it absolutely ridiculous that this is even an issue in today’s world. The 26^th amendment gave students the right to vote once they turn 18. Period. Students should know that by now. No campaign, candidate, or reporter should have any opportunity to convince them otherwise. People should know that by now.

Moving on.

I’m sorry, but this just makes me really, really angry. I found another article on politico.com (http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1207/7378.html) about this same issue. It reminds me of all of those terrible things I learned about in high school US History class, things that happened so long ago to keep certain groups from voting—the Grandfather Clause, poll taxes, literacy tests, gerrymandering, and so on. Some people may say that’s taking it a step far, but to me, the intent is largely the same. Trying to convince students in Iowa not to vote is a blatant attempt to disenfranchise student voters. And it’s absolutely ridiculous. [Aside: On a personal level, for me, the primaries and caucuses don’t affect me. I’m registered as an independent and the state of Maryland holds primaries after the presidential nominees are effectively set]. But you’d better believe that If I went to school in Iowa, or any other state that had such major clout in the electoral process (like the Iowa caucuses or the New Hampshire primaries), or in a swing state for that matter, I would re-register with a party in that state in a heartbeat.

One of the things that we keep talking about in our project is how important it is to maximize youth turnout, because every vote counts. But, as unfortunate as it is, some votes count more than others. Votes in the Iowa caucus end up playing a bigger role than votes in primaries in states like Maryland. Students in Iowa are allowed to vote in Iowa, and honestly it’s the best strategic move. Because what is the election process if not a game of strategy? Candidates use all these different tactics to maximize the votes they get, so that they can get into office. It’s perfectly legitimate for voters to use similar strategic moves to get their votes to have the most effect.

But I digress.

Anyway, the part of this issue that is most pertinent to out project is the fact that students might be affected by such terrible moves on the part of the campaigns, candidates, and the media. As far as I know, in most states students are allowed to re-register with their school address in the state. To what extent are students across the country unaware of this rule?

Based on my experiences here at Maryland, I feel like most people know that they can register in College Park, because the SGA and other student groups (like the College Democrats and College Republicans and the New Voters Project at MaryPIRG) have, in the past, put in significant efforts to register students with their campus addresses. But hearing about such a terrible occurrence in Iowa makes me wonder if this is true here at Maryland, as well as what the situation is at other schools. Is this issue something we need to be concentrating on in our research?

Well, that’s that for now. Back to finals studying—good luck to everyone else on finals.

Happy Holidays, all!

-Supraja