Events Calendar
In This Section
Region makes way for latest batch of snow; cancellations rise
Energy upgrades for Summit, Stark
Downtown Akron restaurants serve up 79,000 pounds of cardboard for recycling
Buehler's employee hopes to bag national title
Troubled bar torn down after court's final say
Toyota recalls 437,000 Priuses, hybrids globally
Brother now says former Akron doctor admitted poisoning wife
Most Read Stories
Another winter punch heading toward Ohio
Complaints against officer keep coming
Man robbed at Tallmadge Avenue eatery
Police say couple had 50 stolen hubcaps
Police: Ohio girl dies after fall into snow bank
Woman rescued after falling through rotting floor in house
Police: Man tries to buy crack with credit card
Four teens restrain man, take items from his Akron home
Blogs:
First Bell - On Education:
No City of Akron basketball tonight
Pets:
Pet telethon re-airs
The Heldenfiles:
NBC Releases Olympics Announcer List
Akron Zips:
Zips favored on road against MAC West leader
Tribe Matters:
Blogmail response on Hafner
Cleveland Browns:
Stallworth's contract terminated
Balanced Ledger:
Kent State Sports:
KSU Notes – February 9
Cleveland Cavaliers:
NBA Power Rankings from Around the Internet
Buckeye Blogging:
Buckeyes grab 18 players on signing day
Varsity Letters:
Five local gridders to play in Big33
All Da King's Men:
Palin At The Tea Party Convention
Blog of Mass Destruction:
Republican Pre-Conditions
Akron Law Café:
Law, Love and Chocolate
Car Chase:
Collector Car Hobby Loses One of the Best—Jim Roll
Let's Talk Real Estate:
Decisions Decisions: Credit Cards or Your Mortgage?
Ohio Travels with Betty:
Loucile is looking for a Lake Erie getaway in June for three kids, ages 1, 3, and 5.
Sound Check:
Talk of the Town – Top entertainment picks for the weekend
HRLite House:
OFCCP Report
Akron Gamer:
Makers of 'Castle Crashers' unveil 'BattleBlock Theater'
See Jane Style:
Do IT this week: Layering
By Stephanie Warsmith
Beacon Journal staff writer
POSTED: 11:07 a.m. EDT, Jun 24, 2008
Attend a rock concert. Check.
Register to vote. Check.
People who went to the Jack Johnson concert at Blossom Music Center last week not only had the opportunity to listen to music but could register to vote.
HeadCount, a national, nonpartisan group that aims to encourage young people to vote, is traveling with bands on tour this summer, including several making stops in the Akron area.
Emily Byers of Canton overheard others being asked if they needed to register at the Tuesday night concert and chimed in, ''Can I do that? That's quite convenient.''
Byers, 19, who will vote for the first time in the November presidential election, said she knew she needed to register but hadn't yet.
''I think this is wonderful,'' she said, sitting on a blanket on the lawn during the concert's opening act. ''It's great to have this available. It's hard to find the time to do something like this.''
HeadCount began in 2004 — the year of the last presidential election. This year, the effort has even loftier goals, hoping to register 100,000 people at about 1,000 events across the country.
''We've got a lot of work to do,'' said Andy Bernstein, HeadCount's executive director.
Bernstein said artists like Johnson are ''dedicated to making concerts about more than just the music.'' Johnson has an ''environmental/action village'' at his shows with booths where people can learn about topics like protecting the environment and registering to vote.
The artists are funding the HeadCount effort, even giving volunteers spots on their tour buses, Bernstein said.
Those involved in the effort sometimes get questions about whether they are partisan, which they resoundingly deny.
''No one can argue that people should participate,'' Bernstein said. ''That's the fun of it for our volunteers.''
Nicole Parisi-Smith of New York City, who was among the volunteers helping with the registration effort at the Jack Johnson concert, appeared to be enjoying herself. She and a cadre of volunteers — including several from the Akron area — registered 164 people before the show.
Carrying a clipboard that declared, ''Register to Vote Here,'' Parisi-Smith wound her way around the lawn, asking people sitting on blankets and beach chairs if they needed to register.
''Actually, yeah,'' Brady Cameron, 18, of Olmsted Falls replied.
Cameron filled out a registration form and then signed a voting pledge that put him into a drawing for free tickets to Bonnaroo, an annual outdoor summer concert in Tennessee. Those who pledge will get either an e-mail or text message reminding them to vote in the Nov. 4 election.
''That's it. We're all set,'' Parisi-Smith told him.
''Thanks a lot,'' he said.
A woman walked up to Parisi-Smith and asked if she needed to register again. She said her official address was still at her parents' house. Parisi-Smith explained that she only needed to re-register if her address had changed.
''It's good to be able to answer questions,'' Parisi-Smith said.
She walked up to a nearby group and found someone who had moved and hadn't changed his registration.
As Kyle Himelstein, 26, of Columbus, filled out a form, his friend asked, ''What if he votes for [Sen. John] McCain, will you have a problem with that?''
''I don't have a problem with that,'' Parisi-Smith answered. ''All we do is register music fans at shows.''
Himelstein and his friend, Cliff Boyden, 25, of Columbus, both said they thought music fans in general are more liberal.
''What about at a Michael Bolton concert?'' Boyden asked, laughing.
Himelstein finished filling out his form and two of his female friends signed up to help with the HeadCount registration drive at a local concert later this summer.
''It's up to you to decide who you want to vote for,'' Parisi- Smith told them, as she moved on to the next group.
Stephanie Warsmith can be reached at
330-996-3705 or swarsmith@thebeacon
journal.com.
Attend a rock concert. Check.
Register to vote. Check.
People who went to the Jack Johnson concert at Blossom Music Center last week not only had the opportunity to listen to music but could register to vote.
HeadCount, a national, nonpartisan group that aims to encourage young people to vote, is traveling with bands on tour this summer, including several making stops in the Akron area.
Emily Byers of Canton overheard others being asked if they needed to register at the Tuesday night concert and chimed in, ''Can I do that? That's quite convenient.''
Byers, 19, who will vote for the first time in the November presidential election, said she knew she needed to register but hadn't yet.
''I think this is wonderful,'' she said, sitting on a blanket on the lawn during the concert's opening act. ''It's great to have this available. It's hard to find the time to do something like this.''
HeadCount began in 2004 — the year of the last presidential election. This year, the effort has even loftier goals, hoping to register 100,000 people at about 1,000 events across the country.
''We've got a lot of work to do,'' said Andy Bernstein, HeadCount's executive director.
Bernstein said artists like Johnson are ''dedicated to making concerts about more than just the music.'' Johnson has an ''environmental/action village'' at his shows with booths where people can learn about topics like protecting the environment and registering to vote.
The artists are funding the HeadCount effort, even giving volunteers spots on their tour buses, Bernstein said.
Those involved in the effort sometimes get questions about whether they are partisan, which they resoundingly deny.
''No one can argue that people should participate,'' Bernstein said. ''That's the fun of it for our volunteers.''
Nicole Parisi-Smith of New York City, who was among the volunteers helping with the registration effort at the Jack Johnson concert, appeared to be enjoying herself. She and a cadre of volunteers — including several from the Akron area — registered 164 people before the show.
Carrying a clipboard that declared, ''Register to Vote Here,'' Parisi-Smith wound her way around the lawn, asking people sitting on blankets and beach chairs if they needed to register.
''Actually, yeah,'' Brady Cameron, 18, of Olmsted Falls replied.
Cameron filled out a registration form and then signed a voting pledge that put him into a drawing for free tickets to Bonnaroo, an annual outdoor summer concert in Tennessee. Those who pledge will get either an e-mail or text message reminding them to vote in the Nov. 4 election.
''That's it. We're all set,'' Parisi-Smith told him.
''Thanks a lot,'' he said.
A woman walked up to Parisi-Smith and asked if she needed to register again. She said her official address was still at her parents' house. Parisi-Smith explained that she only needed to re-register if her address had changed.
''It's good to be able to answer questions,'' Parisi-Smith said.
She walked up to a nearby group and found someone who had moved and hadn't changed his registration.
As Kyle Himelstein, 26, of Columbus, filled out a form, his friend asked, ''What if he votes for [Sen. John] McCain, will you have a problem with that?''
''I don't have a problem with that,'' Parisi-Smith answered. ''All we do is register music fans at shows.''
Himelstein and his friend, Cliff Boyden, 25, of Columbus, both said they thought music fans in general are more liberal.
''What about at a Michael Bolton concert?'' Boyden asked, laughing.
Himelstein finished filling out his form and two of his female friends signed up to help with the HeadCount registration drive at a local concert later this summer.
''It's up to you to decide who you want to vote for,'' Parisi- Smith told them, as she moved on to the next group.
Stephanie Warsmith can be reached at
330-996-3705 or swarsmith@thebeacon
journal.com.
Comments
Click here to post your comments
