SMSU students aim to increase voter numbers

With many important decisions facing Springfield voters this year a school bond levy, a possible City Utilities bond issue and the presidential election a group of Southwest Missouri State University students are calling for voter action.

Five public relations students this month announced the formation of Springfield Registration Committee, a group dedicated to outreach to nonregistered citizens of Missouri.

"We want to encourage citizens to participate in the democratic process by providing nonbiased information designed to stimulate political thought and promote participation," said Andrew Christensen, committee treasurer, in a news release.

The group will distribute literature to 10,000 northwest Springfield homes its test area hoping to persuade readers to vote. The literature will highlight important ballot issues and provide a telephone number 1-866-GIVE-ME-1 by which citizens can register to vote. Springfield Registration Committee's Web site, www.srcweb.org, also accepts voter registration. Residents registering by either method will have voter registration cards hand delivered to their doors.

The campaign is funded by donations. The group, made up of public relations seniors Christensen, Jennifer Jones, Sarah Gee, Lucy Howell and Crystal Buckridge, recently solicited financial support from businesses

"In order to start the process of informing nonregistered, eligible voters, we need to print and distribute literature," Christensen said. "This takes hard, cold cash, and without financial support we cannot move forward with our mission."

If successful, the communication plan may be used again on a larger geopolitical tract at the city, county or state levels, the news release said.

"There are so many local residents who really should be paying attention to issues, but are not," Christensen said. "Traditionally, non-voters are largely ignored by different political groups although the majority of non-voters are significantly impacted by ballot issues."