On the Spot: Calling all eligible students to make their voice be heard (with video)

Garrett Johnson | KCBY-TV

Coppell+High+School+Red+Jacket+seniors+Carter+Kryzak%2C+Anu+Uppal%2C+Maddie+Brock+and+Pierce+Woodall+help+students+register+to+vote+during+A+lunch+at+the+main+hallways+on+Tuesday.+Voter+registration+is+held+for+students+17+years+and+10+months+and+older%2C+who+will+be+old+enough+to+vote+by+midterm+elections+of+Nov.+2.

Bailey Lai

Coppell High School Red Jacket seniors Carter Kryzak, Anu Uppal, Maddie Brock and Pierce Woodall help students register to vote during A lunch at the main hallways on Tuesday. Voter registration is held for students 17 years and 10 months and older, who will be old enough to vote by midterm elections of Nov. 2.

Anthony Cesario, Entertainment Editor

For National Voter Registration Day on Tuesday, Coppell High School Red Jackets stood behind a table in the main hallway to register people to vote.

 

It is a requirement by the secretary of state in Texas that public school systems offer the opportunity for students to register to vote. The Red Jackets encouraged any student ages 17 years and 10 months or older to register, or who would be 18 by the state midterm election on Nov. 2.

 

“It’s the beginning of the process for them, especially young 18-year-olds, to register to vote,” Coppell ISD Board President Tracy Fisher said. “It’s part of being a good citizen.”

 

Red Jackets called on people in the hallway and asked them if they were eligible to vote by their age. If they were, they asked if they would like to register to vote. Students registering to vote were handed a short film with 10 action items to fill out. Once completed, the Red Jackets put the form in an envelope and sent it out as a registration.

 

“Registering to vote, and voting in general, is a duty of the citizen in this country,” Red Jacket senior Arnav Saxena said. “It is important to take part in your country’s decisions and democracy and government. People should not take this for granted because it’s a privilege, and I think they should be a part of democracy and voice their opinions.”

 

Most students stopped by the table to register in the morning, but there was a continuous flow of registrants throughout the day.

 

“We work to make that you guys have all the skills and tools you need to be part of our educated citizenry here in the United States,” CHS Principal Nicole Jund said. “This is kind of the last step, we hand you off to be a part of the community. This is your chance to be able to say what you believe in or what you don’t believe in. No one can make you vote, but we can get you in front of something that gets you the tools to be able to do it.”

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