 "Photo: Jami Bonner")
On Capitol Hill, SUU students met with Utah legislators and other officials seeking help in bringing greater amounts of Utah citizens into the civic realm.
Doug Larson, Michael O. Leavitt Center for Politics & Public Service executive director, said 11 students from the center traveled to Salt Lake City Feb. 26 and became lobbyists in the legislative process.
He said students had previously done research concerning voting reform in Utah.
They then drafted proposals which were given to Utah Gov. Gary Herbert, he said.
Larson said one proposal the students made was turned into a bill which was approved by the Utah Legislature as H.B. 161, which requires the lieutenant governor to ensure accuracy of a voter registration record.
Larson said on their trip they met with the sponsor of the bill Rep. Rebbekah Chavez-Hauk, D-Salt Lake City, and met with other legislators to generate support for the bill.
Larson said two other bills the Leavitt Center supported did not make it through the house committee.
He said the bill endorsing same-day voting registration did not make it through the committee at all. The other was intended to give military personnel oversees ample time to register to vote via absentee ballot.
According to the bill, a 2009 study found Utah was one of 16 states that does “not provide enough time to vote for military personnel stationed overseas.”
The military voting reform bill is being redrafted.
Larson said next year they will go back to Capitol Hill to support the bill. He said after it is drafted, he thinks it will “fly through” the legislative process.
Alex Francis, Leavitt Center student director, said the legislators were impressed by the students’ willingness to be in Salt Lake City and learn from the politicians.
Larson said the trip was not just a tour of the capitol and having their pictures taken with officials.
“We rolled up our sleeves and did some substantive work,” he said. “The students saw the nitty gritty of the process.”
Larson said the legislators loved hearing from the students and hearing what they were working for.
He said they were also surprised and impressed at the amount of work the Leavitt Center had done to influence the legislation and help other Utahns become civically involved.
Justin Nelson, SUUSA public relations director, said during the legislative session, a senator introduced SUU students to the senate.
The 11 students from the Leavitt Center received a round of applause from the Utah Senate on Capitol Hill.
“The trip was awesome,” Larson said.
Nelson said another highlight from the trip was when they met with Lt. Gov. Greg Bell.
He spoke with the students regarding the College Action for Student Turnout Initiative headed by the Leavitt Center.
Nelson said the students from the Leavitt Center made a plan to encourage high school students to realize their civic responsibility and vote calling it the CAST initiative.
He said although they were only able to visit Canyon View High School this year, they hope to expand the CAST initiative with a grant from the Utah legislature.
Francis said more students need to become civically involved.
“This is the time in our life when trying to make a difference in the world will make a great impact on the course of our lives,” Francis said.
Nelson said when speaking with Bell he seemed “rather excited” about what the Leavitt Center was working for. Bell’s excitement came partly from the low voter turnout in Utah.
In the 2008 presidential elections, only 53.8 percent of eligible voters went to the poll, according to George Mason University.
Larson said Bell pledged his support to the CAST Initiative.
Nelson said with the help of the lieutenant governor, the Leavitt Center hopes to receive a grant next year and expand its project to several more high schools.
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