Juniors and seniors–are you getting ready for your first election day? Voting is an important right that we have in the United States. However, many people do not understand how to vote, or think that their vote simply doesn’t matter, but it’s actually quite the opposite! Here’s how to register to vote, and how to know if you are eligible.
In order to vote, you must register at least thirty days prior to election day. To register you must be at least 18 years old, a citizen of the United States, a resident of Ohio for at least thirty days before the election, not be a convicted felon, or been labeled disenfranchised for violating election laws. Citizens vote for leaders to represent them and their ideas as well as the leaders support the citizens’ interests.
This means that some of our seniors will be able to vote in the spring primary election, and some of our juniors will be able to vote in next year’s Presidential Election. How do you register? It’s simple. When registering, you have many options of where you can do it. You can go online, print a form and mail it in, or you can go to any public library or Ohio BMV and register in person. To make things really simple and easy, you can also register to vote right here in our high school office by talking to the front office secretaries and filling out the necessary forms! Every student should register to vote when they turn 18.
Mr. Curtis, one of our Social Studies teachers, agrees. “It’s important that we have a voice and that it’s heard. When we vote, we decide together what’s best for the good of the group and not just the individual. It’s one of the most American things we can do,” said Mr. Curtis.
