By
Ann Pierceall
Herald-Whig Staff Writer
HANNIBAL, Mo. — What does paddling the length of the
Mississippi have to do with the presidential election?
In the minds of a group of recent college graduates,
juxtaposing the two ideas makes perfect sense.
More than a dozen young people are spending the summer
canoeing the Mississippi, and stopping along the way to
register voters. They're hoping their natural enthusiasm will
spread among their peers and get young people excited about
the election. They're calling the project called Paddle for
the Presidency.
"Our love of country is directly connected to our love of
the land and our love of the outdoors — so it's a good place
to get people interested," said Kerri Kuhn, a Peoria native.
The trip began June 1 at the Mississippi River's headwaters
at Lake Itasca in Minnesota. It will finish Aug. 22 in New
Orleans.
The group, many of whom attended Colorado College in
Colorado Springs, is holding rallies at 13 stops along the way
in an effort to register voters and stir up political interest
and participation among 18- to 24-year-olds. The group spent
the night at Hannibal Saturday, and then heads to St. Louis
where the next rally is set for July 30.
"It's really to educate, impassion and empower young
people," Kuhn said. She said her age group doesn't vote
because they feel no one is listening, and politicians don't
listen because her peers don't vote.
"It's a vicious cycle and we're trying to reverse that by
bringing young people and politicians together," Kuhn said,
calling the group as "non-partisan as it can be."
Many of the rallies have featured local and state
politicians, including one governor.
Paddle for the Presidency rallies offer a "Get Your Friends
to Vote" campaign, in which one person takes a packet of 10
voter registration forms and signs up friends. Kuhn said it's
one way of getting people interested in politics and
establishing a network for a youth constituency.
Paddle for the Presidency is trying to get 1,000 packets
out in towns along the Mississippi — that could bring in
10,000 new young voters.
"But much more important is to empower young voters and
raise awareness," Kuhn said. "We're tired of people saying
we're lazy and apathetic. We're not apathetic, it's just a lot
of people feel disenfranchised."
The trip has been in the works for months. Organizer Mike
Goldstone of Boulder, Colo., said the biggest challenge has
been logistics.
"It's tough to coordinate 15 people and support people and
set up events in cities," he said.
The paddlers carry laptops with wireless Internet for
online journals, which can be found at http://www.paddleforthepresidency.org/, and camera
phones courtesy of U.S. Cellular.
Goldstone said getting young people involved in politics is
crucial. They have the "most at stake."
"Decisions now are being made that will affect our future.
Our generation is going to have to face a lot of problems. We
need to start solving them," he said. Not everyone has to be a
crusader, "but they do need to be paying attention. They do
need to be supporting the leaders solving the problems
involving young people."
Alaina Mcauley of Flagstaff, Ariz., said she signed on for
the trip to be with friends, but also to "be an inspiration"
for people to voice an opinion, to make a difference. People
can do that with a vote, she said.
"If nothing else they can just get started there. It's a
baby step, an easy step, but one that makes a huge
difference," she said.
Mcauley said it "is definitely easier to be apathetic." But
she also called it a luxury.
"We live in a really cool place. We're lucky to be
Americans. People need to remember that and not take it for
granted," she said.
Contact Staff Writer Ann Pierceall at
apierceall@whig.com or
(573)
221-5879
