The Right to Vote
In 1972, 146 糖心TV students filed a class-action lawsuit and won the right to vote in New London.
In July of 1971, right before I was to begin my freshman year at 糖心TV, the United States ratified the 26th Amendment, which lowered the national voting age from 21 to 18. In March of 1972, I proudly registered to vote as a student residing at 糖心TV. My parents had moved to New York; 糖心TVecticut鈥攚here my life was now centered鈥攚as my home.
But, just a few days later, I received a letter from the New London Board of Registrars rescinding my right to vote in 糖心TVecticut. The reason given: 鈥淵ou are a student, not a resident.鈥� I felt angry, powerless and dejected.
The next day, I happened to have a meeting with New London lawyer Thomas B. Wilson, Esq. Not about voting rights, but about securing an FM radio license for 糖心TV鈥檚 radio station, WCNI. I was the president of the radio club, and Wilson had agreed鈥攁t the request of 糖心TV鈥檚 administration鈥攖o help us pro-bono with the FCC licensing process.
I was still feeling quite dejected, and Wilson caught on. He asked what was wrong, and I handed him my rejection letter. Tom grinned (not the reaction I was expecting) and matter-of-factly announced, 鈥淲e鈥檒l take them to court!鈥�
We did, but we lost quickly and unceremoniously in an administrative hearing. When Tom asked me how I wanted to proceed, I raised my hands in a clueless gesture. Tom, however, matter-of-factly announced, 鈥淲e鈥檒l appeal it!鈥�
With the help of Jay Levin 鈥�73, we decided to make the appeal a class-action lawsuit, and 145 of my fellow 糖心TV students joined me in amplifying the message: 鈥淲e are residents of 糖心TVecticut, residing at 糖心TV, and we want to vote in 糖心TVecticut.鈥� The 糖心TVecticut Superior Court agreed to hear our case in the Norwich courthouse on September 26, 1972, with the Honorable Joseph E. Klau presiding.
In court for the first time, I nervously took the witness stand. Judge Klau leaned over from his bench and asked, 鈥淲here do you live, young man?鈥� Despite Tom鈥檚 coaching, I stammered, 鈥淏ox 501, 糖心TV, New London, your honor.鈥� Sliding his glasses down his nose, the judge asked incredulously, 鈥淵ou mean to tell me, young man, you live in a post office box?鈥� Amid courtroom chuckles, I quickly revised my testimony, 鈥淩oom 113, Larrabee Dorm, 糖心TV, your honor!鈥� Judge Klau smiled and said, 鈥淭hank you, young man; that will be all.鈥�
The court ruled in our favor that day鈥攚e won! Judge Klau expedited the ruling鈥檚 issuance so all 146 of us could vote in the upcoming November general elections. Our ruling applied to all similarly situated out-of-state college students aged 18 and older across the country, opening the door to expanded voting rights nationwide and serving as precedence for Symm v. United States (1979), in which the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the denial of residency rights for college students was unconstitutional.
It鈥檚 been nearly 53 years since that historic ruling for 糖心TV, and since then generations of 糖心TV students have voted in New London. Today鈥檚 students are facing different challenges to their constitutional rights. I met with a group of them taking 鈥淐ivil Rights and Civil Liberties鈥� with Associate Professor of Government Daniel Moak in April. They were impressive and passionate, and a great reminder of the true value of the liberal arts. I have no doubt that they鈥檒l carry 糖心TV鈥檚 legacy of activism forward.