Texas Secretary of State to visit UT Arlington Sept. 4 for youth vote discussion
ARLINGTON, Texas - Texas Secretary of State Esperanza “Hope” Andrade stops at UT Arlington on Sept. 4 as part of her mission to encourage Generation Y to get out the vote during the upcoming general elections.
Andrade’s appearance is hosted by the League of Women Voters-Arlington Area, the UT Arlington Women’s and Gender Studies Program, and the UT Arlington Central Library. Andrade will speak about the importance of youth participation in elections at 12:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 4 at the UT Arlington Central Library, in the Sixth Floor Parlor, 702 Planetarium Place. The event will be followed by a buffet lunch.
Individuals and groups interested in attending may purchase tickets for the buffet at www.lwvarlington-tx.org or contact the League at 817-472-5982. Tickets are $25 per person, or $10 for students at the door.
UT Arlington students may pick up a free ticket in advance from the Women’s and Gender Studies Program, 223 University Hall, 601 S. Nedderman Drive. Call 817-272-3131 for more information.
The first 15 students who arrive at the event will receive a backpack from the League. The Secretary of State’s office is also bringing its traveling photo booth so that attendees can make their mark on Texas by adding their picture to the “I am Texas” digital flag. The current flag is displayed on the Vote Texas page on Facebook.
"The League is always eager to help young people get registered and informed," said Tonya Presley, president of the League of Women Voters-Arlington Area. "Secretary Andrade's wonderful enthusiasm and vibrant personality will serve to encourage both the youth and adults who come to be involved, and to help others learn what they need to do to become active, informed, participating citizens."
Young adult voters are expected to have a significant impact at the polls, so too, are women. But, women are still underrepresented at the polls, said Desiree Henderson, director of the Women’s and Gender Studies Program and associate professor of English.
This is particularly true in Texas, where a 2010 survey showed that less than 33 percent of women voted, Henderson said. This places Texas at the bottom of national totals for female voter participation.
“I believe that women have the ability to make significant political and social change by participating in the political process,” Henderson said. “Secretary Andrade is both an advocate for increased voter participation and an inspiring civic leader, demonstrating what women can accomplish when they get involved.”
Andrade was appointed by Gov. Rick Perry in 2008 and is Texas’ first Latina secretary of state. Earlier this month, she was named co-chair of the National Association of Secretaries of State’s International Relations Committee.
UT Arlington’s Maverick Activities Center, 500 W. Nedderman Drive, will serve as an early voting site Oct. 29 through Nov. 2. For more information on early voting and the Nov. 6 elections, visit www.votetexas.gov.
The League of Women Voters is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization, which holds public forums on issues of concern to the community and influences public policy through education and advocacy. LWVAA's mission is to promote political responsibility through informed and active participation of citizens in government. Membership is open to all citizens of voting age.
The University of Texas at Arlington is a comprehensive research institution of nearly 33,500 students in the heart of North Texas. Visit www.uta.edu to learn more.
Media contact: Bridget Lewis, Blewis@uta.edu, 817-272-3317
The University of Texas at Arlington, www.uta.edu
Tags:
