WASHINGTON, D.C. -- U.S. Senators Cory Booker and Dick Durbin, along with Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi reintroduced the Help Students Vote Act, a bill to strengthen student voter registration and civic participation on college campuses. Key student voting reforms of the Help Students Vote Act passed the House of Representatives earlier this year as part of H.R. 1, the For The People Act. "Young people today face more barriers than they should when trying to make their voices heard at the ballot box," said Senator Booker. "Our bill will help alleviate some of the confusion students on college campuses have about voting. By adding much-needed federal guidance on the role of colleges and universities in providing voting information to students, we can ensure our students have the resources they need to register and vote." "The right to vote is essential to our democracy," said Senator Durbin. "The Higher Education Act requires colleges and universities to help students register to vote by distributing voter registration forms. This bill would build upon the existing law to ensure that we are doing everything we can to strengthen access to the ballot for millions of young Americans." "The future of our democracy depends on the civic engagement and political participation of our nation's next generation," said Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi. "The legislation improves voter education and voter registration at every college campus across the country, which will strengthen the health of our democracy and ensure our government is more representative of the people it serves." "Across the country, students look to their universities and colleges as a resource as they transition into adulthood and become active and engaged citizens," said Clarissa Unger, Director of Civic Engagement for Young Invincibles. "By ensuring campus vote coordinators are available to answer students' questions about registering to vote, finding their polling location, and actually casting their ballot, the Help Students Vote Act empowers young people to make civic participation a core value in their community and ensure their voice is represented at every level of government." The below list of organizations have endorsed the legislation: A Band of Voters Alliance for Youth Organizing American College Personnel Association (ACPA) American Political Science Association (APSA) Andrew Goodman Foundation Asian Pacific American Network of Oregon (APANO) Association of Young Americans Black Girls Vote Campus Compact Mid-Atlantic Campus Vote Project Civic Nebraska CivicTN Common Cause Common Cause NC HBCU Student Action Alliance ConnPIRG Student Chapters Demos Emgage Emory University Engage Miami Feminist Majority Foundation Forefront Forward Montana Generation Citizen Generation Progress Georgia Shift Ideas42 Iowa Campus Compact LeadMN Macalester Student Choices - Student Voices Mi Familia Vota Motivote MOVE San Antonio National Association for Equal Opportunity in Higher Education (NAFEO) National Association of Social Workers National Education Association National Voter Corps Nebraskans for Civic Reform New Era Colorado New Georgia Project NJPIRG Student Chapters Ohio Campus Compact Ohio Student Association One Wisconsin Institute Oregon Bus Project Oregon Student Association OSPIRG Students PARADIGM pm llp Penn Center for Minority Serving Institutions People Demanding Action Public Higher Education Network of Massachusetts (PHENOM ) Rock the Vote Rollins College Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Spread the Vote State Voices The Century Foundation Tisch College of Civic Life at Tufts University University of Michigan University of Wisconsin - Madison Virginia21 Walk2Vote Young Invincibles Young People For (YP4) YVote
