Voting matters.

Actors, a musician and the Democratic candidate for governor underscored that message at a student assembly Thursday morning at Claflin University.

The right to vote is "precious and sacred," state Sen. Tommy Moore said.

Moore hailed the "trailblazers who went before us and sacrificed a lot for us to be able to walk in and cast a ballot without worrying about revenge or worrying about somebody bodily harming us."

Moore was introduced to the audience by state Sen. John W. Matthews Jr. of Bowman.

"We disrespect our ancestors when we don't vote, because of the struggles and the sacrifices that they have made to get us where we are today," Matthews said.

Because the event's sponsors included Claflin University and the federally funded Performing Arts for Effective Civic Education program, the program was officially billed as nonpartisan. It was another sponsor, the Claflin Young Democrats, who arranged for Moore's visit.

Moore faces Republican Gov. Mark Sanford in the Nov. 7 election.

"I know this is nonpartisan, but I certainly want you to vote for me," Moore said.

Matthews went further. "I am a double-dip nonpartisan Democrat; how about that?" he asked, prompting applause.

"It's in our best interest that we go out in large numbers on Nov. 7 and vote in your best interests. Vote for people who support the issues that affect your lives. If you do that, you'll be as nonpartisan as I am: you'll vote straight Democrat," Matthews said.

Matthews said Moore's father, like his own, was a barber.

"Tommy Moore comes from a family of working folks," Matthews said. "He has worked his way through life."

"I sit two seats down from him" in the Senate and "I know how this brother votes. His voting record -- his commitment to children, health care and education -- is unsurpassed," Matthews said.

"If you are against the vouchers that the governor is pushing and says that money is to go to those private segregated academies, you'd better support Tommy Moore," Matthews said.

Moore said his parents had limited formal education and money, but showed him love and taught him that if he applied himself in school, he could achieve his dreams.

He spoke of his dream, from the age of 10, to become a state representative. He achieved that dream, then won a seat in the Senate.

"I cannot tell you how mind-boggling it is for a kid to come out of (a textile mill village in Aiken County's) Horse Creek Valley to become a candidate for governor," Moore said.

As a "product of public education," Moore said he is "not afraid of reform" and "not opposed to private schools or home schools," but cannot go along with a voucher program or tax credits for rich families.

He supports full funding of education under the formula established by state law.

"Two out of the last three years, it has not been funded," he said.

That has led some districts to eliminate their alternative schools, which Moore said is a bad idea because "the kids end up in the street" and wind up as wards of the state, which in the end is far more expensive.

He said teacher pay should be increased, but was unwilling to say by how much.

Moore said South Carolina is "number three in the nation in unemployment" and the Sanford administration has just "shoved some numbers around" rather than fixing the problems.

Moore said increasing the cigarette tax -- at 7 cents, "the absolute lowest in the nation" -- would allow the state to "leverage" federal matching dollars and extend health care to 87,000 children.

"In order for us to get great jobs in this state, we've got to have an educated work force, a healthy work force and the infrastructure in place," Moore said.

"In the debates -- anybody seen any of the debates? -- they talked about numbers and how much it will cost. I've talked about people and investment and how much it's going to cost if we don't. So that's my message these days," Moore said.

Moore said he has "built my entire career in the General Assembly being a consensus builder, bringing people together." Politics "is not about pitting one group against another. This is about doing what's right and solving our problems."

Moore said his appearances at Claflin and other educational institutions, "from kindergarten to law school and every class in between," are intended to convey the message to voters that as governor, he would "invest in kids, in public education, in higher education, in healthy children and in opportunities once they graduate, so our best and brightest stay right here in South Carolina."

Miriam Chitiga-Prezzy, associate professor of English and leadership and PAECE director, said the project helps "prepare students for active citizenship locally, nationally and globally."

She said Claflin's students are becoming more concerned about civic engagement. "As you can see, there is standing room only" at the event.

"Some of them have been sent by their professors," she said. "Lots of them are not getting any extra credit for it."

"We are, I must emphasize, nonpartisan. We don't support any particular candidate, but we want students to be able to make the correct choices ... what to vote for, who to vote for," Chitiga-Prezzy said.

Other candidates have been invited, she said. Jim Rex, the Democratic candidate for state superintendent of education, recently spoke on campus.

His opponent, Republican Karen Floyd, was invited to debate Rex, but "Karen had a conflict. ... She had somewhere else to go," Chitiga-Prezzy said.

And Moore's Republican opponent? "Gov. Sanford came and has given the commencement address," Chitiga-Prezzy pointed out.

"The Young Democrats are the ones who really pioneered this. They invited Tommy Moore to come here," Chitiga-Prezzy said.

Keturah Gadson spoke for the Young Democrats at the event.

"Sometimes we feel that no one cares," she said. "But you do have a voice that can make a difference. We are calling on you to use your voice on Tuesday. Do not silence your voice by thinking that your vote doesn't count or isn't necessary. You have the power -- use it. Now we know who really wants our vote, because he is here today. My friends, we have the power; we have the voice; let us be heard."

Maurice Williams Jr., the student body president, said he supports what Moore "is trying to do in bringing about change. He definitely has my support."

"A lot of politicians don't realize how many votes they can tap into when they come to college campuses," said Millacent Haynes, a sophomore marketing major.

"There are a lot of people that are registered to vote on campus, because we have voter registration drives," but don't vote because they "don't know what the politicians stand for," Haynes said.

Sophomore Sheena Johnson said she was pleased that Moore addressed the issues of education and health care. "Those are the most important issues," she said.

Dr. Mohammed Yousuf, a professor of political science, said he was glad that the students had an opportunity to listen to a candidate in person. He said he will use the experience as a springboard for class discussions of politics and issues.

Elected officials state Rep. Jerry Govan, D-Orangeburg; Orangeburg City Council member and Claflin employee Sandra Knotts; and Orangeburg Consolidated School District 3 Trustee Board member Bernard Prezzy were recognized for their attendance at the event.

T&D Staff Writer Lee Hendren can be reached by e-mail at lhendren@timesanddemocrat.com or by phone at 803-533-5552. Discuss this and other stories online at TheTandD.com.

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