ELHS Students Enter the Voting World at In-School Registration Event
Over 150 East Lansing High School students were registered or pre-registered to vote at an in-school event held Sept.19, thanks to ELHS social studies teachers and the League of Women Voters of the Lansing Area. The League has been working with teachers at the high school since 2015 in a nonpartisan effort to get young people involved in our democracy.
American Government teacher Jeff Lyon helped coordinate the League’s efforts.
“I am very impressed with the nonpartisan approach they [the League of Women Voters] take when it comes to voting,” he said. “They do not care who someone is voting for but want to make sure voters have access to where and how to vote and where they can find information on ALL candidates.”
Before registering students, the event featured City Clerk Marie Wicks and Joanne Winkelman of the League of Women Voters talking about elections and why voting is so important. Even though not all students will be old enough to vote this November, many of the younger students expressed excitement to Lyon that they will be “official voters” once they turn 18. Michigan passed a law in 2023 that allows people to pre-register to vote as young as 16.
Wicks said it’s important to register and pre-register young voters because often Americans are initially registered when obtaining a driver’s license, and many young people are waiting to get their license.
While Michigan offers registration up to and on Election Day, registering early is especially important in East Lansing. Election Day registration can only be done at a clerk’s office, funneling voters to the clerk’s office or satellite clerk’s office. On Election Day in 2022, unregistered voters, mostly MSU students who were likely voting for the first time or changing their address from their parents’ home, formed long lines waiting to register.
ELHS senior Elaina Andrews will not be able to vote this November, but she wanted to take part in the registration process anyways. Andrews is concerned about the future availability of contraceptives and knows that the votes of young people will likely be important in deciding this issue in the future.
“I think it is super important for young people to vote because whoever wins the election will make huge decisions for us for the next four years of our lives,” Andrews said. “Our opinions matter and we want someone who will better us as a community. That’s why it’s so important for young people to vote because times are changing and we don’t want old rules and policies hanging over our heads limiting us.”
ELHS senior Ben Fletcher, who can vote this year, expressed his concerns over inflation and the possibility of the United States getting involved in a war. He plans on encouraging his schoolmates who did not take part in the registration event to make sure they register.
“I would tell them to think deeply on what they want this country to look like to them, and ask them which political party would support their best interests,” he said.
Both Fletcher and Andrews credited Economics teacher Jillee Horn with encouraging students to participate in the registration process.
“[Ms. Horn] explained to the class what is at stake in this country, and if we want the ability to have a say in any of it, voting is crucial,” Fletcher said.
Citizens can learn about what will be on the upcoming ballot and more through the Michigan Voter Information Center.