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‘I Voted’ stickers feature GOP name in Tennessee

By WTOP Staff

ERIK SCHELZIG
Associated Press

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — No matter how Tennessee voters cast their ballots, they’ll be offered “I Voted” stickers featuring the name of a key Republican who’s not running for office — yet.

The stickers — red and shaped like Tennessee — prominently display the words “Secretary of State Tre Hargett.” They’ll be handed out beginning with the start of early voting next week for the Nov. 4 election.

Hargett is a former state House Republican leader and is widely considered to be preparing a bid for higher elected office, though he has downplayed his political aspirations.

“Putting Secretary Hargett’s name and the #GoVoteTN hashtag on the stickers provides accountability,” State Election Coordinator Mark Goins said in an email Friday. “If people have questions or comments about how an election was conducted, they know who to contact.”

The secretary of state is appointed to a four-year term by a joint convention of the state House and Senate. Hargett has held that position since 2009 after serving as chairman of the Tennessee Regulatory Authority and spending 10 years in the state House.

The new “I Voted” stickers match the colors of the Tennessee — including a blue spot with three white stars — but they also resemble popular campaign bumper stickers from fellow Republicans such as Gov. Bill Haslam, who is up for re-election in November.

The new stickers replace the traditional ones featuring an American flag on a white background. “It may be nice to have a state-specific sticker, instead of the generic one they had,” said Dick Williams, the chairman of Common Cause Tennessee, which identifies itself as a government watchdog group. “But who can argue against the American flag?”

Williams called it unfortunate for Hargett to have placed his name on the stickers. Williams suggested that the new stickers be distributed outside the 100-foot boundary set for campaigning near polling places.

Ben Cunningham, the founder of the Nashville Tea Party, also criticized the new stickers.

“This is completely inappropriate and serves no public purpose,” he said. “The space used for Secretary Hargett’s name could be much better used for a website link with information on sample ballots and voter registration forms.”

Goins said he decided to provide the redesigned stickers, at a cost of two-tenths of a cent each, because several counties stopped offering them to voters due to budget concerns.

“When people return to work with ‘I Voted’ stickers, it reminds co-workers and friends to go out and vote as well,” Goins said. “The stickers are the cheapest tool election officials can use to encourage voter turnout.”

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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