Campus drive is real civics lesson.

Byline: Anne Williams The Register-Guard

Seventy-four fresh new voters emerged from South Eugene High School on Friday, thanks to a handful of student activists, the League of Women Voters and some local elected officials with rousing words.

With Measure 30 looming on the Feb. 3 ballot, senior Trevor Steele spearheaded the daylong voter registration drive, which included classroom visits and an all-senior assembly with state Reps. Pat Farr, R-Eugene, and Phil Barnhart, D-Eugene, along with state Sen. Floyd Prozanski, D-Eugene, Eugene School Board Chairwoman Beth Gerot and Superintendent George Russell.

The League of Women Voters camped out at a table throughout the day, encouraging 18-year-olds to exercise their right to vote.

"This lets you have a say in what happens and who represents you," Alex Brice said, heading off to class after turning in his registration form.

South Eugene - which draws largely from the decidedly liberal neighborhood around it - has a reputation for political activism. But Steele and other organizers believe that a majority of students remain apathetic about politics.

"I think they sort of sense that it's in general a good idea, but they think it's someone else's responsibility," co-organizer Martha Fryefield said.

Steele said he thinks students know next to nothing about Measure 30, despite its potential impact on schools and the public university system. The measure, which would stave off further cuts to state services in the current biennium, calls for a temporary income-tax surcharge and increases to corporate and other taxes.

"People don't know what the issues are," he said. "They don't even know there's an election."

The proposal, which would cost about $2 to $3 a month for a family of four earning $40,000, was passed by the state Legislature last summer but referred to the ballot by opponents. Defeat would necessitate about $340 million in cuts to the K-12 education system and about $25 million to higher education.

The cost of higher education is one of the issues seniors care about most, Steele said.

As for himself, he's applying to private universities.

"In all honesty, I'd like to get out of the public school systems as fast as possible," he said. "I've seen what's happening with these cuts."

Steele said he was thrilled with the registration count, which amounts to about 17 percent of seniors. "We were expecting about 50," he said.

Steele said this year's presidential election may galvanize more students to vote.