By Phoenix writer Michelle Paszek, ’24:
On Thursday, April 29, the senior division of Kellenberg Memorial High School registered to vote during their history classes.
According to history teacher Mr. Bursig, the traditional voter registration forms were supplied to interested seniors.
Mr. Bursig said, “This was the method used when I registered years ago. However, many students today have already registered via online forms.”
Mr. Bursig continued to explain that the history department has facilitated voter registration for its senior classes for the last half decade or more.
Senior Mason Carpentier noted, “Voting is a tool that lets everybody express their needs and opinions. In a country that is so big, their voice may have gone unheard. Exercising this right at a young age is massive because it allows those voices to be out there and it is the easiest way to fight injustice within our own country rather than sitting on the sidelines.”
Senior Clara Ambrosino added, “The decision to register was a big one for me and for most people my age because it is one of the first ‘adulthood’ actions we take, along with almost forcing yourself to think about what you believe should be done politically, economically, and socially.”
In order to register, a person must be a citizen of the United States and over eighteen years old. If under eighteen, they can pre-register so that once they reach the required age, they can vote in the next election cycle. As many of the seniors are currently either seventeen or eighteen, they were able to pre-register or register themselves to vote.
Mr. Bursig believes that roughly half, if not more, of his senior students registered last week to vote. He encourages any senior who missed the opportunity last week to go online and register.