This coming Election Day (November 8th), a handful of Darien High School students will be able to take part in a new experience: voting. While other DHS students sleep in and enjoy a day off, these seniors will go to school and emerge from the polls wearing “I Voted” stickers with pride. Besides becoming eligible for jury duty, reaching an eighteenth birthday in the United States gives teenagers the right to vote for whichever candidate they believe should run national, state, and local governments.
The process to gain voting rights can be a long and tedious task. Contrary to popular belief, one cannot just waltz in and vote after he or she turns 18. There is an election registration form that must be filled out and approved before voting. This registration asks for standard information, like one’s name, address, and signature. Once this form is received and put on file, the eighteen year old is allowed to vote. The mail-in registration can take up to three weeks to process, which many believe is too long to wait. The fastest way to register is in person instead of via snail mail. In-person voter registration is traditionally available at Darien Town Hall during business hours. The Registrar of Voters will occasionally hold voter registration at other venues before large elections, such as presidential elections.
Voting is seen as a huge responsibility by some. The power of having a say in who leads this country can put pressure on the voters. Others do not see voting in the same light, they think that voting is something to do only if ready. “It is a responsibility because whoever the country votes in will be determining policy that will obviously affect their lives,” said senior James Burgoyne, who looks to voice his opinion this coming Election Day.Senior Matt Pik added that voters shouldn’t vote just to vote, “[It’s] not a responsibility to vote, if you don’t feel strongly, don’t do it.” In the last presidential election, around 130 million people voted according to Politico.com. This was roughly 61.3 percent of the registered voting population according to gwu.org.
Many seniors are taken aback with the realization that they are now able to vote. Pik said, “Kind of strange having power to vote… [I]never thought I’d have a voice in stuff like this.” At 18, the new adult is thrown into a world that he or she is not yet accustomed to, and to adapt can take time. Many people over eighteen still do not feel settled enough in the adult world and will wait to vote until they feel ready. Other seniors are excited by their new powers: Burgoyne said, “I feel incredibly special.”
Check out a similar Neirad article from 1950: Students with power “Liability to the President”
http://darienps.org/neirad/print/NeiradJanuaryxx1970no15.pdf
