As part of PIRGIM's effort to promote civic participation within our democracy, PIRGIM has worked as a member of the National Youthvote coalition to great success. In 2000, we helped MTV's Rock the Vote in bringing candidate Al Gore to campus for a MTV special as well as assisting student government in bringing rock group Guster to campus for a Civic Participation concert. Above all, we registered nearly 8,000 students to vote and raised turnout nearly 300% over the last presidential election through grassroots get-out-the-vote efforts.
For the 2002 Congressional races, we registered 2,500 more students and young people and turned out 5,000 more voters in Washtenaw county than in the 1998 Congressional race. These successes were made possible through grassroots tactics including coalition building, media, phone banking, and community outreach.