by Bev Geltner
This morning I volunteered with NextGen America to increase student voter registration for the November elections. It was one of the most gratifying experiences I’ve ever had. NextGenRising’s goal is to turn out half a million young people in eleven states to vote. The volunteers who organized the EMU effort were outstanding! After just a few minutes “training,” we were set loose among hordes of incoming EMU freshmen.
In one hour I registered 22 students! Both they and the NextGen volunteers were thrilled! The regional NextGen rep said she was responsible for 16 colleges and universities in Michigan—one of the priority states—and the number we had reached only after a couple of hours on Friday, August 31 was almost 100—the highest number yet in Michigan!
What a successful outreach! I encourage anyone who wants to make a difference to take part in this inspiring process. I’m returning for a couple of hours on Saturday. Anyone interested, should contact Mariam Akanen at (313) 788-3643.