Carnahan visits College Democrats
Approximately 50 people attended the meeting.
Published Nov. 9, 2007
Missouri Secretary of State Robin Carnahan visited a College Democrats meeting on Tuesday. College Democrats President Nate Kennedy said about 50 people attended the meeting, and the organization was thrilled for her visit and the chance to hear from the state leader.
The organization invited many speakers to make an appearance at the meetings throughout the year.
"It is not very often that we get an elected official to come to our meetings," Kennedy said.
College Democrats President Mark Buhrmester said it is always interesting to hear from democratic politicians because they are able to provide insight on key issues.
"(Students) learned a lot about the political process," Buhrmester said. "It is always interesting to hear someone who is in the news all the time and to see them in person and hear them speak in person."
Carnahan shared personal stories and explained her deep roots in Missouri politics during her lecture. Her father, Mel Carnahan, was a former Missouri governor and her brother, Russ Carnahan, is a Missouri congressman.
She also spoke on challenges she has faced in her position.
One challenge she cited occurred when Gov. Matt Blunt signed the photo identification bill into law on June 14, 2006. This bill requires Missouri voters to bring a state-issued driver's license, non-driver's license identification card or a military identification card to polls in order to vote.
"This bill disenfranchised any out-of-state student," Buhrmester said.
Without one of those three forms of identification, citizens would not be able to vote, he said. It put the elderly and disabled in a rut as well, Buhrmester said.
Buhrmester said in order to obtain an ID to be able to vote, a person needs his or her birth certificate. For someone who is elderly, it might be difficult to track down a birth certificate from so long ago.
To make matters worse, the identification cards cost money, and paying money to vote is unconstitutional, Buhrmester said.
The Missouri Supreme Court ruled the bill unconstitutional.
After becoming involved in family politics at such a young age, it was vital to Carnahan to express the importance for young people to get involved and support their candidates, Carnahan's Campaign Coordinator Kelsey Thompson
said.
With the help of Carnahan, the College Democrats hope to convey the significance of political involvement of students, especially in the upcoming 2008 election, Kennedy said.
The College Democrats plan to push voter registration next year during the fall semester. Buhrmester said members will remind students to vote and recruit students to volunteer at polls.
"There is no time like the present to get involved in your community and your state," Thompson said.