This week, the LaGrange area League of Women Voters is hosting a voter registration drive at LT NC for eligible seniors who will be 18 by the District 204 Board of Education election on April 4.

“I think democracy works best when the highest amount of citizens are involved,”  Global Studies Division Chair Paul Houston said. “Historically, young people do not have a very high voter participation rate. I think these elections would be better with the input of teenagers.”

Houston, along with Voter Services Co-Chair Stephanie Nelson and student liaison Julia Aubert ‘17, is doing much in preparation for the drive that is taking place on Thursday, Feb. 23.

“As the Global Studies Division Chair, I am the lead person at this school who coordinates things with the LaGrange area League of Women Voters,” Houston said.

In order to advertise the event to LT’s potential voters, Houston and the League have sent out emails to seniors and their parents, requested to put information on the NC and SC Marquees and submitted information to be presented in the daily PA announcements, Houston said.

Additionally, there are several specific locations to where registrations will be taking place, Nelson said.

“We’ll be registering voters from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the library at North Campus as well as in the cafeteria during lunch periods,” she said. “I hope students will register to vote and be excited to help shape our world.”

As for Aubert, whose main job is to work with National Honor Society Executive Board members to gather volunteers, she hopes that her classmates will take part in this important event, she said.

“I think it raises awareness about how voting is so important in our community,” Aubert said. “It is also important because electing district board members directly affects the students who vote.”

On March 23, LT is also hosting an open forum at the SC PAC for candidates of the LT School Board to speak and answer questions, Nelson said.

“We would love if LT students showed up to hear about these candidates and ask questions, because you can argue that, more than presidential elections, this election impacts these students more,” Houston said.

Similarly, Nelson shares aspirations that the drive will be successful in accomplishing its goal to get teenagers to participate in elections.

“I hope [eligible seniors] will take the responsibility seriously by researching candidates and voting regularly in all races, not just the ones filled with star power and drama,” Nelson said. “Local and state elections can have more impact on their day-to-day lives than big ones.”