[090] MTSU celebrates Constitution Day 2014 with readings, voter registrations

MURFREESBORO — MTSU will celebrate the 227th anniversary of the signing of the U.S. Constitution this Wednesday, Sept. 17, with a focus on educating the campus community about Constitutional concepts as well as multiple daylong readings of the document.

MTSU observes the Constitution’s 1787 signing every year with special events and programs organized by the university chapter of the American Democracy Project.

Among this year’s special civic-awareness efforts are voter registration drives on Constitution Day and a week later on Sept. 24 on National Voter Registration Day. The next state and federal general election in Tennessee is Tuesday, Nov. 4, and early voting begins in Tennessee Oct. 15.

Beginning at 9 a.m. Sept. 17, MTSU students, faculty, staff and other volunteers will read the Constitution in different campus locations. The College of Basic and Applied Sciences will launch the readings from 9 to 10:15 a.m. in the courtyard of the new Science Building, followed by the College of Behavioral and Health Sciences reading from 9:30 to 10:45 a.m. at the Cason-Kennedy Nursing Building.

Other scheduled readings include:

·       10-11:15 a.m., College of Mass Communication, Bragg Mass Comm Building.

·       10:30-11:45 a.m., College of Education, Education Building.

·       11 a.m.-12:15 p.m., College of Liberal Arts, Peck Hall.

·       11:30 a.m.-12:45 p.m., University College, Business and Aerospace Building courtyard.

·       Noon-1:15 p.m., University Honors College, Paul W. Martin Sr. Honors Building.

The Jones College of Business will conclude MTSU’s reading of the Constitution the next morning, Thursday, Sept. 18, from 7:45 to 9 a.m. in the Business and Aerospace Building.

Tennessee Secretary of State Tre Hargett and his staff plan to join each of the scheduled Constitution reading events and help with voter registration at MTSU Sept. 17 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the lawns of Peck Hall lawn and the Paul W. Martin Sr. Honors Building. According to Tennessee law, voters:

·       Must be a citizen of the United States who will be 18 years old or older before the date of the next election.

·       Must be a resident of Tennessee.

·       Cannot have been convicted of a felony, or if you have, your voting rights have been restored by a court order or pardon.

·       Must be properly registered no later than 30 days before the election.

The League of Women Voters, Tennessee Citizen Action, the American Association of University Women, the MTSU Democrats and the College Republicans also plan to assist with the Sept. 17 voter registration efforts and will return to campus Sept. 24 at the same times and locations for National Voter Registration Day.

For more information about Constitution Day events at MTSU, email amerdem@mtsu.edu.