IOP Conference Hopes to Mobilize Young Voters

The Institute of Politics (IOP) plans to launch Youth Vote '96, its effort to bring 12 million people between the ages of 18 and 24 to the polls on election day, with a conference held at Harvard later this month.

Conference organizers hope that the three-day conference, scheduled for February 16 through 18, will both help to train campus leaders, students and other area youth to organize their peers to vote and raise issues concerning young voters on the national agenda.

"The campaign kick-off that's being held at the IOP [will help] about 500 youth and student leaders from across the country to learn skills related to bringing out the youth vote, how to run a voter registration drives and how to run voter education projects," said Ivan Frishberg, higher education advocate for the U.S. Public Interest Research Group and an organizer of the Youth Vote '96 campaign.

"There will be opportunities to network with other student leaders across the country and to hear from the nation's experts about voting and issues concerned about by the youth," he added.

Speakers at the conference will include senior advisor to the President George Stephanopolous, former press secretary for George Bush, Torie Clarke and a representative from H. Ross Perot's United We Stand America.

Harry Wu, leader of the pro-Democracy movement in China, will also speak, and Rep. Joseph P. Kennedy II (D-Mass.) was invited to deliver the opening address but has not yet indicated whether he will attend.

This year is especially important to increase voter turnout among the young, Frishberg said, because it is the 25th anniversary of the 26th amendment giving all people above the age of 18 the right to vote.

The conference will conclude with a bus caravan to Manchester, N.H., where the students will put into practice the skills they learned at the conference, Frishberg said.

"In New Hampshire., we'll be turning out young students and young voters to vote and making sure that the candidates hear about the issues that young people care about in the last few days of the New Hampshire campaign," Frishberg said.

Of the roughly 600 people expected to attend, about 100 will be Harvard students, estimated Brant K. Wong '98, who is a Crimson editor.

The majority of the other participants will be college students, said Robert M. Hyman '98-'97, who is the president of the Undergraduate Council. But some will be area residents who are between the ages of 18 and 24.

Wong and Hyman, who are in charge of outreach for the conference, said they are sending e-mail messages to student groups inviting them to participate. Since people involved with the organizing the conference will also attend, Wong estimated that about 30 to 40 spots would be available for interested students.

Registration for the conference, which will cost $25, will begin Friday and forms will be available in the SAC office, at the IOP, or in the council office

Of the roughly 600 people expected to attend, about 100 will be Harvard students, estimated Brant K. Wong '98, who is a Crimson editor.

The majority of the other participants will be college students, said Robert M. Hyman '98-'97, who is the president of the Undergraduate Council. But some will be area residents who are between the ages of 18 and 24.

Wong and Hyman, who are in charge of outreach for the conference, said they are sending e-mail messages to student groups inviting them to participate. Since people involved with the organizing the conference will also attend, Wong estimated that about 30 to 40 spots would be available for interested students.

Registration for the conference, which will cost $25, will begin Friday and forms will be available in the SAC office, at the IOP, or in the council office