In 2003, Alexandar and Natasha (then 13 and 11, respectively) calling for a paper trail and public ownership and inspections of voting software that was adopted by the California Democratic Party and became the basis for a resolution adopted by the Democratic National Committee.

 

California’s former Secretary of State Kevin Shelley held hearings under the Help America Vote Act.  Although they had strep throats and fevers, Alex and Natasha demanded to be taken to the hearings so they could ask Shelley and his panel to give California voters a paper trail.  While the ACLU and California’s Common Cause sent representatives to speak against the paper trail as both groups adamantly opposed one at the time, Alex and Natasha spoke eloquently and made it clear at the hearings that America would doubt the outcome of any election where there was no paper trail. Shelley listened to Alex and Natasha’s pleas and guaranteed a paper trail to all California voters, effective this year, 2006.

 

In 2005 and 2006, Alexandar and Natasha have worked to expand the right to vote to the more than 75 millions disenfranchised Americans under the age of 18.  Natasha got the California Democratic Party to adopt a resolution calling for the voting age to be lowered and for those below the age of 18 to be included in all Democratic committees, caucuses, events, conventions, etc.  This year, based on the mandate of the unanimous passages of that resolution, she went before California Democratic Party platform committee only to discover that the chairman and members of that committee were agists who had been jaded by their own bigotry and lack of vision.  Refusing to let things end there, she went and obtained widespread support from elected officials and candidates for her call to have the voting age lowered.

 

Alexandar (under his stage name) spoke at the annual meeting of the Screen Actors Build in 2006 and obtained the support of that body and the officers and board members present at that meeting for lowering the voting age in public elections.  This was the most important endorsement on this issue as members of the Screen Actors Guild work with young Americans more than any other and are more familiar with the abilities and intelligence of young Americans than any other professionals.  No one at the Screen Actors Guild asked, “To what age,” because they know that young Americans of all ages are capable of making intelligence, well-reasoned decisions.

 

On October 23, 2006, the last day for Californians to register to vote on November 7, 2006, Natasha and Alexandar attempted to register to vote.  Alexandar’s registration form was accepted because he was close enough to 18 for the Registrar to keep it on file.  However, he was not allowed to vote. Natasha’s registration form was rejected.  This places Natasha on a path towards participating in a civil rights class action suit under the 14^th Amendment in order to get her generation the vote.  She will be 17 at the time of the next Presidential election and plans to pursue obtaining the right to vote in that Presidential election.

 

Natasha is the President of the Orange County Chapter of the National Youth Rights Association. Alexandar is on the Board of Directors of the National Youth Rights Association.  It is the largest youth rights organization in the United States.