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The theory goes something like this: If you put a few pink bunnies on the street, they'll do as bunnies do - multiply fast.

Representatives of Missoula nonprofit Forward Montana hope this strategy works as they hit the University of Montana campus and the streets of Missoula in pink bunny ears and T-shirts in an effort to re-register Missoula's missing voters.

“We're obnoxious and we're cute,” said Jamee Greer, Missoula coordinator for Forward Montana. “So people wonder what we're doing.”

Some 11,000 ballots were returned to the Missoula County Courthouse as undeliverable in the primary election in September, in which ballots were delivered to individuals by mail.

Many of those undeliverable addresses belong to University of Montana students who've moved and neglected to re-register, according to Forward Montana representatives.

Forward Montana volunteers hope those pink bunnies reproduce themselves in the form of registered voters.

“It's a good opportunity to learn what works and what doesn't work,” Greer said of the group's campaign.

In honor of the effort, Missoula Mayor John Engen declared Monday as official Pink Bunny Day in Missoula.

Spokesbunny Veronica Asmus read the proclamation at the Missoula County Courthouse gazebo on Monday.

“... And, whereas, local nonprofit Forward Montana has populated Missoula with adorable and obnoxious pink bunnies in a grassroots effort to increase awareness in re-registering to vote and to assist voters in finding more information on their wards ... ,” Asmus read.

Sadly, the mayor did not show up in a pink bunny suit for the occasion.

Some confusion over whether someone can register without a Montana driver's license has kept some people from registering, but Greer said anyone can register, even without a Montana driver's license. They can simply use the last four digits of their Social Security number.

Greer said 30 volunteers in pink bunny costumes made a big push to register University of Montana students over the weekend. That effort will continue through the day of election, Nov. 6.

Anyone can register to vote with a pink bunny, and students can go to the Associated Students of the University of Montana on campus or to the County Courthouse to register.

Late registration is possible after Tuesday's deadline, and day-of-election registration will offer procrastinators yet another opportunity to sign up to vote.

More information is available online at www.pinkbunnies.org.

“This is a pilot project for us, something we want to see stick around,” Greer said. “Hopefully we'll have this rolled out again next spring.”

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