On March 25th and 26th, the League of Women voters registered and pre-registered West Po students to vote during government classes and lunches. Over 130 students registered to vote during those days, and 14 pre-registered to vote. Students that registered to vote and will be 18 by November 4th will be able to vote in Virginia’s upcoming general election.
Presentations were given by League of Women Voters volunteers during government classes, covering topics such as the history of voting rights and details about Virginia’s general election in the fall. Director at-large of LWV and presenter Sheryl Williams has been helping out at high school voter registration drives for over two and a half years. Williams got involved because “I was looking to become more active in terms of outreach and helping people to understand the importance of voting, and so I went online and researched, and that’s how I found the League of Women Voters for the Fairfax area”
She says her favorite part of volunteering at high schools is seeing the reaction she gets from students. “it’s that light bulb going off where they realize that their vote really does matter and that they can make a difference if they register, show up and vote”.
Some of the students that registered to vote during Mr. Daniel Baldwin’s 2nd period government classes shared their opinions about voting and its importance.
Wynne Smith, a senior, says that she thinks that registering to vote is important because it allows people to have their opinions out in the world, represented by an elected official.
Smith also thinks that political literacy, and a knowledge of current events is very important for students that are registered to vote. “I think people really need to know what candidates stand for, and what their policies truly are. They don’t just get blindsided by the media. In government class, we learn a lot about how the media focuses on crazy, outrageous politics. So people don’t know about what the candidates’ policies are, and what they will really do for our government.”
Lex Beatty, a senior, agrees that voting is important. “All the time students complain about political issues, and all the time they think they want to do something, so it’s important for them to actually get active. […] otherwise they’re complaining for no reason, and they’re not going to be able to change anything” He affirms that “it’s important for students to register to vote because it’s important to stay educated, and every voice does matter because it all builds up. As a collective, everyone should be voting”.
The League of Women voters has and will continue to help students become more civically active. Sheryl Williams wants students to know that “the work that the League of Women Voters of the Fairfax area does is so important in terms of ensuring that people are educated in terms of voting, and that people understand the importance of voting”
Williams also believes that “every person has the ability to affect change in our society and […] to literally affect the course of history”.
Students that didn’t register to vote on the 25th and 26th can still scan the QR codes on the posters around the school and register online.
