Armenian National Committee – Western Region
104 North Belmont Street, Suite 200
Glendale, California 91206
Phone: 818.500.1918
Fax: 818.246.7353
ancwr@anca.org

PRESS RELEASE

March 4, 2008
Contact: Ani Garabedian

ANC-WR Interns Gear Up for Community Outreach and Voter Registration Drive

Los Angeles, CA – Over the next few months, the Armenian National
Committee-Western Region (ANC-WR) interns will be coordinating a voter
registration drive in an effort to increase Armenian American voter
registration throughout the greater Los Angeles area. In addition, the
interns hope to raise awareness about the importance of regularly
voting and how to keep informed about issues of concern to the
community.

"Registering the Armenian community to vote will not only help advance
Armenian American issues, but it will build more interest in our
government’s decisions and allow Armenian Americans to have a greater
role in shaping the communities in which they live," said Carina
Khanjian, one of the interns working on the project.

Khanjian is joined in the effort by ANC-WR interns Lori Keshishian and
Christine Semerdjian. Together, they will be registering voters at
local churches, college and high school campuses, as well as community
centers among other sites. Working in conjunction with local ANCs and
community organizations, the interns are hoping to register at least
500 new voters by May 1, 2008.

"Working with members of the Armenian community to promote
understanding of the right to vote is important because we strive to
ensure that the community is taking an active role in government
processes", stated ANC-WR Executive Director Andrew Kzirian.

The Los Angeles Armenian community is estimated to be over 500,000
strong. Traditionally, the Armenian American community has a strong
showing at the polls come Election Day. The Armenian National
Committee regularly promotes voter registration as a means of the
community taking an active role in civic life and public affairs.

The Armenian National Committee – Western Region is the largest and
most influential Armenian American grassroots advocacy organization in
the Western United States. Working in coordination with a network of
offices, chapters, and supporters throughout the Western United States
and affiliated organizations around the country, the ANC-WR advances
the concerns of the Armenian American community on a broad range of
issues.

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Photo caption: Lori Kechichian, Christine Semerdjian, and Carina
Khanjian (L-R background) discuss the upcoming voter registration
drive with ANC-WR IEP graduate David Arakelyan (left) and ANC-WR
Community Relations Director Haig Hovsepian (right).