Students may be kept from voting

Students who believe they are registered to vote in the City of Philadelphia may not be registered to vote in tomorrow's election. Election Board member Scott Sher made a rough estimate last night that between 200 and 300 students who submitted their registration forms to the city, are not on the city's voter rolls, and are, therefore, not registered to vote. Sher blamed the city for the problem, saying it did not prepare for the overwhelming number of new registrations the city received this fall. Jessica Lieberman, publicity chairperson for Vote for a Change, said last night that she submitted her registration card but has still not received confirmation that she is registered. Lieberman said that when she called the city election board late last week, they told her that they had no record of her registration. The official told her to call again today, because the city is still processing registration forms, she said. Election Commissioner Margaret Tartaglione said last night that student groups who perform voter registration drives are not affiliated with the city. Students who have received confirmation cards from the city indicating that they are registered should bring the card to the polling place, officials said. If their name is not on the voter rolls, the card will allow them to vote. Students who have submitted a registration form, but have not received the confirmation card and are not on the voter rolls must swear before a judge that they have registered to vote. The elections courts are located at each city police station. The closest station to the University is the 18th District at 55th and Pine streets. Sheryl George-MacAlpine, the 27th Ward Democratic leader, said last night that the local election board will provide transportation for students who find they are not registered to vote. College senior Sher, who is one of 15 University students who sits on the election board for University City, said last night that he is hoping to have the University's Escort Service take students every half-hour to the election court at 39th and Lancaster streets. Tataglione said that students can call the election board at 686-3460 today to confirm that they are registered.

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