FLASHBACK: Kamala Harris announces federal government will pay college students to register Americans to vote
Vice President Kamala Harris announced in February that the federal government would pay students to register peers to vote in the upcoming election.
The guidance specifically states that work-study funds cannot go towards “a particular interest or group.”
Vice President Kamala Harris announced in February that the federal government would pay students to register peers to vote in the upcoming election.
Harris made the announcement during a meeting with activists on Feb. 27, stating that federal work-study funds could be used to pay students who register others to vote.
”We have been doing work to promote voter participation for students, and for example we have under the federal work study program, now allow students to get paid through federal work study to register people and be non-partisan poll workers,” Harris said.
Harris’ announcement follows a memo from the Department of Education clarifying that work-study funds can be used in voter registration efforts done by local or state agencies.
”The Department is today clarifying that FWS funds may be used for employment by a Federal, State, local, or Tribal public agency for civic engagement work that is not associated with a particular interest or group,” the memo states. “This work can include supporting broad-based get-out-the-vote activities, voter registration, providing voter assistance at a polling place or through a voter hotline, or serving as a poll worker.”
The guidance specifically states that work-study funds cannot go towards “a particular interest or group.”
In 2021, Biden signed Executive Order 14019 (”Promoting Access to Voting”), which tasked every federal executive agency to create a detailed plan on increasing voter registration and participation, as Campus Reform reported.
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”As we know, this is important for a number of reasons,” Harris said of the updated guidance. “One to engage our young leaders in this process and activate them in terms of their ability to strengthen our communities but also, this is the work that we need to do knowing that so many poll workers have left this work for a variety of reasons which we will also discuss.”
Harris also announced the Biden administration will send voting information to the 21 million Americans who have a healthcare plan under the Affordable Care Act.
