HOWARD — Registering to vote — and then actually voting — are important rights and responsibilities of citizens in the nation. The nonpartisan Youth Outreach Program in Knox County recently took that message to East Knox High School, when Carol Rubenstein and Sarah Goslee-Reed visited juniors and seniors in Doug Smith’s current events and citizenship class.
“Young people can influence their futures now by voting,” Rubenstein said. “Even if they aren’t yet eligible to vote they can make sure their parents, other family members and friends do vote. ... Government impacts their lives in a big way now, handling the skyrocketing gas price crisis, determining the amount and availability of college grants and loan money, and when and where those who join the military may be asked to go to battle.”
The inspiration for Smith’s inviting the women to East Knox came from student Zech Shafer. He had previously asked Smith how to register to vote, but didn’t follow through. Shafer and several of the students who are 18 or will be 18 by Election Day did register during the Outreach visit.
Rubenstein explained the election process, and voting, and two students who had voted in the March primary talked about using the new electronic voting machines. The other students had the chance to see a real voting machine and practice using the touch screen systems. Student Grant Frazee, as well as some of the other students, said they thought the election kiosk machine was neat and liked using the machine.
Because one of the students will be in the military next fall, and others will be off to college, Rubenstein talked about absentee ballots, and also distributed voter registration forms to the students to take home.
The voting machine demonstration and talk of new technology sparked a discussion about how to help more mature voters — who may be unfamiliar with computers — overcome their hesitance about using the new voting machines. Rubenstein and Goslee-Reed suggested individuals go to the board of elections prior to Election Day and ask to see a demonstration of the voting machine’s use.
Because some of the students will be voting for the first time in November, the women assured them there are poll workers available on voting day who can help with the machines, if needed.
Rubenstein also told the students the board of elections is a resource for helping people who may have difficulty coming up with the necessary forms of identification for voting under the new regulations. She said many people may no longer drive, so they have no driver’s license. They may live in nursing homes or assisted living facilities so they no longer have a utility bill, or someone else may be handling their finances so they don’t have a bank statement. She said the board of elections can help those individuals retain their voting privileges.
Goslee-Reed talked with the students about the importance of being informed about the local candidates and issues because, she said, “there’s nothing worse than walking into the voting booth and seeing a list of things to vote on, about which you may know nothing.”
After the session, student Josie Rine said the presentation was great and she learned a lot about the election process.
“The students felt empowered to be doing something responsible and important,” said Smith.
The nonpartisan Vote for Change program in Knox County is putting Democrats, Republicans and Independents to work at kickoff events this weekend. There will be a voter registration table in front of the Pink Cupcake Bakery during First Friday events, and volunteers will staff a voter registration table at this year’s first farmers market on Public Square on Saturday.
