8,500 Students Registered to Vote on Student Voter Registration Day

NYC Votes announced today that 8,500 students registered to vote on Student Voter Registration Day (SVRD) on Friday, March 18, an increase of more than 50 percent in the number of 18-year-old voters registered in New York City!

SVRD is an annual program to encourage New York City students to register to vote and participate in civic life. The program is the result of a partnership with Council Member Helen Rosenthal and the City Council, the New York City Department of Education, and the New York Immigration Coalition.

The New York Immigration Coalition recruited 38 community based organizations (CBO) to coordinate SVRD programs at each of the participating schools. The SVRD curriculum helps students understand the connections between civic engagement and the issues they face everyday like the cost of a MetroCard or college tuition or affordable housing. All students were also asked to sign a "Civic Engagement Pledge."

Students who registered to vote on SVRD will be able to vote in New York's presidential primaries on April 19th, provided they turn 18 on or before that date. Any 17-year-old may register to vote if they will turn 18 in calendar year 2016. To be eligible to cast a ballot, you must turn 18 on or before the date of the election. The deadline to register to vote in that contest is March 25th. Check your voter registration status and take a moment to register to vote today. 

"To be truly vibrant and healthy, democracy gives everyone the opportunity to speak out. We are thrilled that so many young New Yorkers are choosing to make their voices heard," said Onida Coward Mayers, director of voter assistance at the New York City Campaign Finance Board which runs the NYC Votes campaign."This fantastic response would not have been possible without the efforts of dozens of our partners. In particular, I want to thank Council Member Helen Rosenthal, the New York Immigration Coalition, the Department of Education for their leadership and commitment to SVRD."

“Our democracy does not function without active and informed citizens, and that’s why I’m so excited we were able to register 8,500 students on Friday,” said Schools Chancellor Carmen Fariña. "We have to build on this work, so that all our students become engaged in their communities and play active roles in making decisions for our city, state, and nation.”

Council Member Helen Rosenthal said: "New York State consistently ranks in the bottom ten in voter turnout, even in presidential election years. Student Voter Registration Day is all about getting the next generation of voters to realize their own power. We want them to register to vote if they're eligible, and if not, there are plenty of other ways to get involved. I am so proud that we registered 8,500 students in one day, four times as many as last year, and spread civic education to many more. Dozens of organizations made SVRD possible, but I want to especially thank NYC Votes, the New York Immigration Coalition, and the Department of Education for organizing the event and the New York City Council for funding it."

"Student Voter Registration Day was a demonstration of the enthusiasm and eagerness of our city's young people to participate in civic life and make a difference in our city and in the nation," said Steven Choi, executive director of the New York Immigration Coalition. "We are tremendously proud of the efforts of our partners, New York City Council, the Department of Education, NYC Campaign Finance Board, and NYIC's 38 member organizations who made SVRD a huge success, resulting in eight thousand students registering to vote and thousands more being engaged beyond the voting booth. A big kudos to New York City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito and Council Member Helen Rosenthal for their critical leadership and commitment to ensuring that we provide students with the resources they need to be fully engaged in civic life." 
 

Student Voter Registration Day started in 2015 as a pilot program led by NYC Votes, Council Member Helen Rosenthal, and the Department of Education. In 2015, more than 2,000 students in 25 schools registered to vote on SVRD. 
 

NYC Votes is the non-partisan voter engagement campaign of the New York City Campaign Finance Board (CFB) and its Voter Assistance Advisory Committee (VAAC). In addition to promoting voter registration, participation, and civic engagement in New York City through its many programs and partnerships, NYC Votes sponsors the city’s official Debate Program and produces the citywide Voter Guide.