Drive Launched to Register Young Local Voters

By RENEE BEYDA

NYC Votes announced on Thursday the second annual Student Voter Registration Day would be launched on Mar. 18 in over 60 local schools to encourage over 20,000 students to register for the upcoming elections.

The announcement was made at a public meeting of the New York City Finance Board in Lower Manhattan.

City Councilwoman Helen Rosenthal teamed up with the New York City Department of Education and the New York Immigrant Coalition in order to promote the one-day voter registration event.

“Our democracy can only exist when we have informed and active citizens, and that is why we want our students to understand how important voting is, and have the knowledge and resources to be informed voters,” said Schools Chancellor Carmen Fariña.

Recent elections have had staggering low turnouts among younger generations. In 2013, only 11 percent of 18 to 29-year-olds voted for mayor. Th

The program targets the registration deadline of Mar. 25, to be eligible to vote in the upcoming presidential primaries on Apr. 19.

“While young voters have the privilege of voting, the challenge for this generation is exercising that right,” said Rosenthal.

Since the program began last year 2,000 students from 25 schools registered to vote. By more than doubling the number of schools this year,sponsors hope to boost the number of student voters.

In other matters, the board welcomed Naomi B. Zauderer, Mayor de Blasio’s newly appointed member in downtown Manhattan.

“I’m confident that Naomi Zauderer will utilize her 19 years of experience in union organizing, and her three years of policy advocacy on behalf of low-wage and nonstandard workers while on the Board to continue to serve New Yorkers,” said Mayor de Blasio in a statement.

She was appointed on Feb. 27 to fill the term ending in Nov. 2020. She replaces the former NFL Pro, Courtney Hall who served on the board for five years and was appointed by former Mayor Michael Bloomberg in 2010.

“We look forward to working with her to continue the Board’s vigorous, nonpartisan and independent oversight of New York City’s nationally-recognized public matching funds program,” said Chairman Rose Gill Hearn along with her fellow board members in a joint statement

Zauderer received her bachelor’s degree in political science and government from The College of William and Mary, and her master’s in political science from Berkeley University, where she began a life pursuing social and civic organization.

She previously worked as the executive director of the Professional Staff Congress at CUNY for eight years, and has an experienced background in union work. From 2002 to 2008, she served as the executive director of the New York Professional Nurses Union, where she negotiated contracts and agreements.