Group hopes to register hundreds of Lawrence high school students to vote

By the end of this week, the Lawrence League of Women Voters hopes to have hundreds of Lawrence high school seniors registered to vote.

“They can’t vote unless they are registered, and some young people might say, ‘I’ll get around to that,’ and realize at election time it’s too late,” said Cille King, league vice president.

Members of the league visited Free State High School last week and collected voter registration applications from 190 students. Visits to Lawrence High are scheduled for this week.

While at the high schools, league members help students through the registration process and provide information and answer questions on voting, King said. For instance, she said, only about half of those ages 18 to 24 are registered to vote, and smaller percentages actually do so.

“So (these are) some of the numbers we give, trying to let them know their voices aren’t being heard, their voices aren’t being taken into account because their age group isn’t voting in greater numbers,” King said.

In every presidential election since 1964, voters between the ages of 18 and 24 have consistently voted at lower rates than all other age groups, according to a report by the U.S. Census Bureau. In 2012, 38 percent of those between the ages of 18 and 24 voted in the presidential election and about half as many voted in the 2014 midterm elections.

The league is a nonpartisan political organization that encourages informed and active participation in government, according to its website. Members can help register anyone who will be 18 by November, which qualifies practically all Lawrence high school seniors, King said.

“We register anybody who is eligible and wants to register,” she said.

This is the second year the league has visited senior high school government classes at the two high schools, but this year members will speak with more than twice as many students. Last year, the group registered about 80 students at Free State and 50 at Lawrence High, King said.

“More teachers are letting us into the classroom this year, which is good,” she said, noting that in previous years they set up a table during students’ lunch period.

At Free State last week, league members arranged classroom visits with five teachers, amounting to 13 classes. The members will visit Lawrence High on Tuesday and Friday of this week and currently have three teachers and seven classes scheduled, but King said members are hoping to add to that number.

King said league members collect registrations as well as the proof of citizenship that is now required. The members can stop by classes for either a half or full period, providing more information about voting history and issues, depending on the time allotted.

“We figure our first responsibility is to get as many people as possible registered and get them informed on candidates and issues so they are informed voters,” she said. “Because we want every citizen voting who is an eligible voter.”

King thinks the increased participation of teachers this year may be related to the upcoming presidential election, though she said she hopes students will vote in more than just that election.

“We hope people aren’t just voting for the president — there are a dozen offices we’ll be voting on next year,” she said, noting elections for U.S. representatives, the county clerk, board of education and others. “And any other issues that come up.”