Mivote Interactive Web-site Debuts

UM-Dearborn

Detroit Public TV set youth vote effortDetroit Public Television, UM-Dearborn “to engage young people in the upcoming election with a multimedia project that gives everyone a chance to let their voice be heard.

”Detroit Public Television and the University of Michigan-Dearborn have joined together “to engage young people in the upcoming election with a multimedia project that gives everyone a chance to let their voice be heard,” according to Edward G. Bagale, vice chancellor for government relations at UM-Dearborn.

In addition to the presidential race, this fall's historic election will include Michigan ballot issues on stem cell research and medical marijuana, and many contested elections for the state House of Representatives.

The core of the project, called “MiVote,” is an interactive Web site at www.mivote.org that will “enable UM-Dearborn students and others to upload videos that will explain to our presidential candidates what they should know about Michigan and its citizens,” according to Dave Manney, DPTV’s director of program development.The Web site is only part of the effort, though.

Participants in MiVote also will be seen and heard on Detroit Public Television and other media outlets in the weeks leading to the election. And at the end of October, a town hall meeting will be held on campus and broadcast on Channel 56, “tackling the issues discussed by young people in the course of the project,” Manney said.Faculty members at UM-Dearborn are exploring ways to use the project in their classes this fall.

“This is a site that can be utilized for courses and assignments beyond the obvious choices of political science and communications,” according to Jonathan Smith, professor of English and associate dean of UM-Dearborn’s College of Arts, Sciences, and Letters.

“It's easy to imagine the widest range of our courses -- composition, health policy studies, American studies, environmental science, economics, women's and gender studies, sociology and international studies -- being able to get involved in this project, whether through student contributions to the site or analyses of the materials it will contain.

”The initiative will be launched on Friday, Sept. 5, the first day of DPTV’s fall pledge drive.