In a non-partisan discussion held Monday, Feb. 9, from noon to 4 p.m. at the university's Manzanita Hall, guest speakers will be addressing the upcoming March 2 election, the ballot, the process and mechanics of voting and the basics of civics and government.

"This is a big election year," said Debbie Catanese, SPJ vice-president. "We do not just want to get people to vote but to be informed and make sound decisions."

"Voting and voter registration need to be addressed because voter turnout in elections is very low compared with the total number of Americans, and is especially low among college-age students in their teens and twenties," added Heather Warren, SPJ president. "Our goal is to make students realize that voting is the main way to make our voices heard. It is the main way for us to affect change or influence the continuation of certain policies and practices in America."

Representatives from the League of Women Voters will be explaining the differences between primary and general elections and provide a breakdown of the initiatives, propositions, amendments, bonds, judicial elections, local and state elections. The speakers will also provide strategies for researching campaign platforms and issues via the Internet.

Speakers from the Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk Department will explain voter registration deadlines and how to change political parties. They will demonstrate the mechanics of voting via paper and absentee ballots and will provide three demonstration touch-screen computer voting booths.

Political science professor Tom Hogen-Esch will discuss the civic responsibility of voting, the levels of government, how to get involved in campaigns, how to contact elected officials, as well as explain the two-party system, process of elections, campaigns and the empowerment of choice.

"Elected officials are supposed to represent the views of the American people," Warren said. "If we don't all exercise our right to vote, our voices and influence are lost."

CSUN is located at 18111 Nordhoff Street in Northridge. Manzanita Hall is located at the southwest corner of campus. Event parking is $4 in lot B2, off the corner of Dearborn Street and Darby Avenue.

For more information about the voters' information forum, call event coordinators Heather Warren at (818) 677-2915 or Debbie Catanese at (818) 563-5395.

CSUN's student chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists has been an active branch of the national organization since 1964. It is composed of student journalists working to increase student awareness and to make a difference through a variety of activities and community service projects. SPJ strives to uphold the values of a free press, ethics, social awareness and diversity within society while exemplifying the presence of the press as a "watch dog" within American society.

California State University, Northridge has 33,000 full- and part-time students and offers 61 bachelor's and 42 master's degrees as well as 28 education credential programs. Founded in 1958, it is the only four-year university in the San Fernando Valley and the fourth largest in the 23-campus CSU system. The university serves as the intellectual, economic and cultural heart of the Valley and beyond.