PHOENIX, Sept. 18, 2019 - Phoenix College will be encouraging every eligible student on campus to register to vote on Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2019. This year, the ongoing initiative will receive a boost from Arizona Secretary of State, Katie Hobbs, who will meet in the student union at 9:45 a.m.
According to the Secretary of State's Office, midterm elections normally receives an 8 percent turnout from young voters between the ages of 18 and 34. However, with recent new voter registration pushes, such as the one on the Phoenix College campus, that age group accounted for 12.5 percent of ballots during the 2018 election.
“With so much at stake in upcoming elections on the state and local level, as well as the presidential election of 2020, we really want to encourage each student on our campus to register to vote,” said Phoenix College President, Dr. Larry Johnson. “It is critical that young people take advantage of their right to vote, creating a future that aligns with their fundamental beliefs. The registration drive is a step in that direction.”
Secretary Hobbs plans to visit the Voter Registration tent in front of the Student Union to speak with volunteers and to encourage those passing by to register to vote. Hobbs will also enter a classroom to visit students and discuss the importance of the student vote with them.
Phoenix College was founded in 1920 and has a long history as a pioneering institution, with a special place in the history of both Phoenix and Arizona. The school grew from its first desegregated class of 18 students, which included women, to a truly diverse population of 12,000 today. The school has always been at the forefront of change and equality and continues to strive to make a difference in the Phoenix community nearly 100 years later.
About Phoenix College
Phoenix College, the flagship of the 10 colleges in the Maricopa County Community College District, one of the largest community college districts in the nation. The College will be celebrating its 100 year anniversary in 2020. Phoenix College offers academic courses leading to associate degrees, university transfer, certificates and short-term job training to more than 17,000 students annually.
Media Contact: Erika Keenan, erika.keenan@phoenixcollege.edu