JULY 29, 2014California joins states urging student-led voter drives
(Calif.) Seventeen-year-old Jonah Pelter says registering to vote is not something he thinks about a lot, and he’s never been exposed to any kind of on-campus voter registration event in his three years of high school.
But that could change, not only for Pelter, but for hundreds of thousands of other teenage pupils if California schools take advantage of a new law promoting student-led, on-campus voter-registration events.
“It’s definitely important to vote,” said Pelter, who turns 18 in September and is heading into his senior year at Napa Valley’s Calistoga High School. “Everyone needs to have a voice.”
But it is the lack of voices from the 18- to 24-year-old population that has spurred a number of states to take aim at that demographic by changing registration rules to encourage more civic participation among the country’s youth. According to U.S. Census Bureau data, just over half (53.6 percent) of citizens in that age group were registered to vote for the 2012 general election. And out of that pool, just 41.2 percent actually voted.
Growing these numbers, say experts, is possible by engaging middle and high school students through civics and voter education programs.
Several states, including Connecticut, Iowa, Florida, Maine, Wisconsin, Missouri and Texas – now allow 17-year-olds to pre-register. In Hawaii, 16-year-olds may pre-register so that their voter status is automatically activated when they turn 18. Wisconsin, according to a report from New America California joins states urging student-led voter drives :: SI&A Cabinet Report :: The Essential Resource for Superintendents and the Cabinet: