WVU Women\'s Studies participating in the national \'Get Out Her Vote\'

September 27th, 2004

The West Virginia University Womens Studies Program, housed in the Eberly College of Arts and Sciences, announces that Elizabeth Harless and Rachel Terman are working for the Feminist Majority Foundation and itsGet Out Her Vote(GOHV) campaign in West Virginia.

The Get Out Her Vote Campaign is a nationwide, non-partisan group comprised of student-led teams that is focusing on inspiring young women on two- and four-year college campuses to register and vote in the November 2004 elections.

Studies have shown that voter turnout among unmarried women is very low, and college students make up a substantial percentage of the unmarried women who are not voting.

On Tuesday, Sept. 28, the Get Out Her Vote team will be traveling to each WVU dorm for West Virginia Womens Voter Day as part of a massive voter registration drive. The team will also staff a voter registration booth from Wednesday through Friday at the Mountainlair student union.

The campaign will be capped next Monday, Oct. 4, with a showing in the Mountainlair Gluck Theare ofIron Jawed Angels,an HBO movie chronicling the womens suffrage movement.

The campaign is also working to ensure that young women make it to the polls to vote by asking women to sign aFeminist Voter Pledgethat will send registered voters reminders of dates, deadlines and other information that will help to make voting as easy and automatic as possible.

It is very exciting to have an office for Get Out Her Vote in Morgantown this year,said Dr. Barbara Howe, director of the Center for Womens Studies.West Virginia is one of the critical states for the presidential election and Republicans and Democrats are realizing that unmarried women have not voted in large numbers in the past. Rachel and Elizabeth are doing an excellent job in reaching out to students.

The Get Out Her Vote Campaign is looking for volunteers until the last day for West Virginia Voter Registration on Oct. 13. Those interested in volunteering or who would like more information may send an e-mail to getouthervote@hotmail.com , or call Elizabeth Harless at 304-376-5314.

The Get Out Her Vote Group meets every Monday at 6:30 pm at 200 Wagner Road in South Park.