1991

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The Phi Theta Kappa Society, the ML'-"tssippi-based international two– year college honor society, announc– ed the participation of tts Mississip– PI pters in a statewide effort to increase voter registration, use of the absentee ballot and turnout ~ 18-24 year olds. S esentatives of Theta Xi r from East Central Com– College in Decatur will be E participants in the voter tration effort. Advisors Dr. Harris and Mrs. Ann Burkes, along with several student members, will attend a kick-off celebration and organizational meeting scheduled at 1 p. m. Thurs– day, Aug. 15 at the Old State Capitol Buikllng in Jackson. "The sad fact 'is of the 23 democracies, the United States ranks 22nd in voter turnout," said Rod Risley, executive director of Phi Theta Kappa. " Voter turnout has diminished in each presidential election but one since 1964 and in 1988, ba~ a..lf ol the eligible voters cast·~·

Mississippi Phi Theta Ka ppa members wer e selected to spearhead the registration and vote effort as part of a program spon– sored by the Vote America Founda– tion in Washington, D.C., and Phillips Petroleum Company. If this statewide campaign is successful, Phi Theta Kappa members in all 50 states will coordinate a national campaign in conjunction with the 1992 presidential election. Plans are also underway to include Canadian two-year college honor students in a similar campaign. " With Mississippi's two-year col– lege students participating, this will be a truly grassroots effort. Two thousand Phi Theta Kappa members are enrolled in the state's community and junior colleges. While they are all outstanding students at their respective colleges, they represent a broad cross-section of the population," said Dr. Olen Ray, executive director of the Mississippi Board of Community aud Junior Colleges. "'11le students- eat JJt.vo-year

colleges represent every age range, every socio-economic background and are from every county in the state. The Vote America Foundation could never have found a more diverse and service-oriented consti– tuency than that," said Ray. ''I am very pleased that Mississip– pi honor students will be l~ading• way to bring more people into fit:! democratic process by promotlag voter registration. Participation by older voters has been very disap– pointing in recent years, and I am hopeful that they and new voters can be brought a renewed sense of en– thusiasm to participate in one of our society's most important rights- to vote," said Dick Molpus, Mississip– pi secretary of state. "The truth of the matter is that unless you are registered to vote you cannot do so. As a concerned Mississippian and as the state's chief elections officer, I hope this project will be a resounding sucess and a model for the rest of the na– tion," Molpus explained. Efforts at each college will begin this summer. Students will conduct public awareness campaigns, spon– sor "voter registration weeks," operate registration booths and con– duct door-to-door registration drives. " It's exciting for our state's com– munity college honor students to be a part of this great effort to improve citizen participation in the electoral process," said Risley. "J ust as our student strive to learn the most possible, our goal is 100 percent registration and turnout."

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