MARCH 12, 2009

Representatives of Secretary of State Terri Lynn Land will offer new citizens the opportunity to register to vote during a naturalization ceremony in Grand Rapids.

The ceremony is Tuesday, March 17 at 1:30 p.m. at the Gerald R. Ford Museum, 303 Pearl St. N.W. Approximately 80 people are expected to participate.

"Our new countrymen have worked hard to get to this point, but there's one more step they can take -- they can register to vote," Land said. "Elections affect the communities we live in and the schools our children attend. I encourage everyone to register to vote so that all voices will be heard each and every time, whether it is a local or national election."

Land, who also serves as Michigan's chief election officer, will have a voter registration table on site for the convenience of the newly sworn citizens. Land also promotes voter registration by sending the Mobile Branch Office to colleges and universities. People may also register to vote at their local clerk's office, a Secretary of State office or by mail.

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Bureau, part of the Department of Homeland Security, is conducting the ceremony.