Sparked by the story of 17-year-old Sarah Boltuck, a Maryland teenager on the verge
of losing her right to vote in the 2008 primary elections, FairVote
worked closely with state allies like Sen. Jamie Raskin in winning a
dramatic reversal to protect youth voting rights. All 17-year-old citizens who will 18 by Election Day in November 2008 will be able to
vote in Maryland's Feb. 12 primary -- a ruling affecting thousands
of voters. FairVote is launching a campaign with other civic groups and
the Maryland Association of Secondary School Principals to notify eligible
students of the registration deadline in the spirit of our vision of
universal voter registration.[ The Washington Post ]
[ Baltimore Sun - 12/20 ]
[ Baltimore Sun - 12/21 ]
[ FairVote's Learning Democracy Voting Curriculum ]
Additional Links: http://www.fairvote.org/md17
The Republican minority blocked the U.S. Senate from taking up the D.C. Voting Rights Act of 2007, a historic bill that would have given full voting rights to the citizens of Washington, D.C. Fifty-seven senators voted to end debate and take action on the bill, but fell just short of the 60 votes needed to overcome a filibuster organized by Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky and Minority Whip Trent Lott of Mississippi. This marks the first time Senators have filibustered a voting rights bill since the era of Jim Crow.
The California General Assembly passed a FairVote-endorsed bill (AB 183) that requires every school district with at least one high school provide voter registration information to students. Under the new law, if signed by Governor Schwarzenegger, schools must report their voter registration efforts on their website or school newsletter. Current California law designates the final two weeks in April and September as "High School Voter Weeks," during which time deputy registrars of voters are allowed to go into high schools and register students and staff. This new proposal will ensure all students, regardless of where they attend school, have an opportunity to register to vote in the non-partisan atmosphere of a classroom.