Election day is coming, Have you registered?

The 15th and 19th Amendments grant each citizen regardless of race, sex or creed the right to vote. The 26th Amendment allows citizens 18 years of age and older to vote. However, even with these amendments guaranteeing young people the vote, many have yet to allow their voices to be heard.

With the 2002 Senate elections right around the corner, the strong push for registering students, urging them to vote and take full advantage of their constitutional rights has been renewed.

According to the N.C. State Board of Elections, citizens between the ages of 18-25 have the lowest registration percentage at 10 percent. Meanwhile citizens between 41-65 have a voter registration percentage of 43 percent.

The N.C. SBOE statistics also reveal that African-Americans have a voter registration percentage of 19 percent, whereas Caucasians are at 79 percent.

David Dansby, president of the NAACP Guilford County Chapter, feels that the lack of young voters in the African-American community can be attributed to little information provided about the candidates and the issues.

"The NAACP has set up voter registration locations on Saturdays at Food Lion and other local businesses around the community," Dansby said. "We have also prepared voter registration kits to give out at local salons and barber shops."

Dansby believes that these efforts will increase the overall African American political participation. However, he feels that registering people is not the problem, getting them to vote is.

"I feel that the candidates, because they may not have as big a draw as a Jesse Jackson or someone of that nature, may not draw as much of attention," Dansby said. "Nor have they really done really the best job of presenting issues that are relevant to the kids. However it is extremely important that we vote, because it is critical to balance the composition of the Senate."

Andre Jeffries, a senior from Winston-Salem will be one of those young students voting. "I can't say that I know all the in-depth facts about the Senate race. However, it's a must that we take advantage of our right to vote and be heard. People died so that we would be able to," Jeffries said.

The two major-party candidates for the U.S. Senate race are Democrat Erksine Bowles and Republican Elizabeth Dole. State and local races also will be decided on Nov. 5

The last day for voter registration is Oct. 11. Registration can be done online at www.co.guilford.nc.us/government/elections.