by Jeremy Hunt
Daily Lobo
As part of Latino Education and Advocacy Day, organizations registered voters Monday and educated them about issues that will affect UNM students.
UNM's Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlan and the University chapter of the Public Interest Research Group, along with state organizations, were also collecting signatures for a petition to send to Rep. Heather Wilson, urging her to cut interest rates on loans and fully fund tuition-assistance programs like work study.
The day was sponsored by the National Council of La Raza.
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Student Vanessa Monge, a member of MEChA, said she participated in the event, because it's important for Hispanic voters and students to understand election issues that affect them.
"We have a lot of people voting," she said. "Hopefully, we'll have a good turnout."
New Mexico PIRG employee Jamison Tessneer said he started working for the organization to educate students about issues and get them to vote.
He said asking everyone if they are registered to vote prepares people for the election.
"There'll be a solid, direct impact, because we're going to make sure students go out to the polls," Tessneer said.
He said his group plans to have a voter information packet available one week before the election. The packet will be nonpartisan and focus on student issues, he said.
"It's one thing to get students registered and out to the polls, but we want them to be educated on the issues when they vote," he said. "So, we want to make that as easy as
possible."
