Obama Election Watch

The organization of a nationwide coalition for the voter registration of America’s college students is likely to add 30 to 35 percent more votes for Obama than for McCain.

The presidential race could well come down to which campaign mobilizes America’s youth and particularly the nation’s college students. Nearly all of the 15 million students attending college this fall will be eligible to vote on November 4. All told, there are about 200 million Americans of voting age. Therefore, college students make up a very important 7.5 percent of the nation’s potential voters. Half or more of these 15 million college students may not be registered to vote.

Polls show that young voters of all ages prefer Barack Obama over John McCain. Obama’s advantage is even greater among students with some college education. Thus, a nonpartisan voter registration drive will almost certainly produce significantly more votes for Obama than for McCain.

Mobilizing college students is critical in swing states such as Ohio, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Florida. Each of these four states has hundreds of thousands of college students, many of whom are from out of state. For example, nearly 100,000 students are enrolled at Michigan State University and the University of Michigan alone. There are 110,000 students at the 14 state universities in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania system. Nearly 300,000 students are enrolled at state-operated universities in Florida.

The voter registration advantage for Obama increases when college students register to vote in these key battleground states rather than in their home states. Legal rulings provide that college students generally are eligible to vote in states where they are enrolled in college.

In making the decision whether to vote in their home states or in the states where they are enrolled, college students must consider whether a change in residence will unfavorably affect their tuition costs and financial aid packages. People for the American Way has posted a valuable Web site tool which helps students who are enrolled at out-of-state colleges and universities to make the decision as to which state would be most advantageous for them to register to vote.

In mounting a national coalition for the voter registration of college students the Obama campaign can work with student government associations at colleges and universities in key battleground states across the nation to establish nonpartisan voter registration drives. Nonpartisan registration drives are likely to receive full cooperation of college and university administrators. Voter registration events may best be held during the week when students first arrive on campus in August or early September before they get involved with their academic pursuits.

Voter registration information can also be passed out at college football games and other large student gatherings. More than 100,000 people attend home football games at Pennsylvania State University as well as at the University of Michigan. At each game there may be 30,000 or more people who are not registered to vote.

In addition to on-campus activities, the Obama campaign could improve its Web site to provide detailed voter registration and absentee ballot information for each state. Generally speaking, voter registration deadlines are 30 days before an election; registration procedures and deadlines are different from state to state. It would be useful if students had their state’s voter registration rules and regulations readily available when they visit BarackObama.com.

A concern of many college students is that a mailing address with only a post office box number and no street number is generally not sufficient for a valid voter registration form. College students who have only a post office box address at college often will be required to arrange for a college official to sign an affidavit attesting to the residence of the student. The Obama Web site could provide information on what students need to do to meet registration requirements.

Nearly 80 percent of college students attend educational institutions close to home. But for those who travel to school, requesting an absentee ballot is an important option. Once again, procedures and deadlines may be different from state to state, so it is important that college students receive all pertinent information. This information can also be included on the Obama campaign Web site.

Detailed registration information by state is available by clicking here. But it would be best to have this data on the Obama official site so that students can easily find the information.

The Obama campaign would also benefit if it provided tactical advice at BarackObama.com for student activists on how to organize successful voter registration drives on their campus.