High Schoolers Encouraged To Vote

Representatives from the Cambridge Election Commission worked to register young voters at Cambridge Rindge and Latin High School yesterday, before today’s final registration deadline for Massachusetts voters.

Volunteers for the program encouraged eligible seniors to register during their lunch period.

“I think it is important that everyone possible exercises the right to vote especially in such a critical election,” said volunteer Kia J. McLeod ’10.

Despite the enthusiasm for energizing youth voters, no Rindge and Latin students registered yesterday. Many seniors have not yet reached voting age.

Because the United States has no national citizen registry for compulsory registration, high schools are a convenient site for targeting eligible voters, particularly those just coming of age.

Rindge and Latin Dean of Students Jamalh P. Prince said the registration campaign allowed the community to come into the school and demonstrate the importance of voting.

“Kids learn by doing and seeing, not just by hearing,” Prince said.

In Massachusetts, eligible voters must register at least three weeks before the election and must be U.S. citizens of at least 18 years of age on or before Election Day.

Student volunteers from Lesley, MIT, and Harvard have managed registration tables for the Cambridge Election Commission throughout the city in recent weeks. The Commission signed up over 400 people at Oktoberfest this weekend alone, according to volunteer Nick A. John.

“We are looking to get more Harvard students doing Election Day office work on November 4th,” said John, a junior at Northeastern.