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Preston High Students Get Political: 43 Register at School to Vote

Posted on: Thursday, 16 March 2006, 09:00 CST

By Kathy Plum, The Dominion Post, Morgantown, W.Va.

Mar. 16--KINGWOOD -- Preston High School senior Morgan Messenger registered to vote Wednesday -- and with good reason. "I think if I have an opportunity, then I have to be able to vote. Because I can't keep my mouth shut," the student said. Messenger was one of 43 young Prestonians who took time from their lunch break or club period to join the ranks of registered voters. The Preston High Young Democrats Club sponsors voter registration at least every other year. Workers from the Preston County Clerk's office were at the school for two hours Wednesday to register students. "The purpose of registering to vote is to get more young people interested in the process of democracy and voting," said Brianna Knotts, club president. "Preston County's youths aren't really interested in politics, and we're trying to get more interest." Knotts will be 17 next month, so she can't vote this year. Anyone who will be 18 years old by the Nov. 7 election can vote in the May primary. "I think it's important for students to participate in their democracy," club sponsor Ann Robb said. "I don't believe a democracy can exist without voter participation." Other club officers are Kayla Thorn, vice president; Chad Wolfe, secretary; and Cody Nieman, treasurer. Wolfe, 17, will vote this year and plans to be an informed voter. "I will just get familiar with the candidates and with how their beliefs match up with mine," he said. Most of those who took time to register said they needed to voice their opinions, though many were unsure what party they would choose. For some it was the same as their parents; for others, just the opposite -- they didn't want to be like their parents. "I like to be politically active," senior Morgan Kasprowicz, 17, said. "I paid pretty close attention to the last election, and I was disappointed that I couldn't express my opinion." She reads up on issues and candidates, and discusses them with her friends. "My friends are very politically active," Kasprowicz said. "And pretty much always have been. There are a lot of kids in the school, though, who just don't care or just follow the views of their parents." Preston Deputy County Clerk Kim Dixon said fewer students are being registered at the school because of new ways of registering to vote. In the past they have registered as many as 200. "A lot of this gets taken care of through the DMV," she said, where youngsters taking their driver's test can also complete a voter's registration form. "We have a lot of those 1987 and 1988 birthdates come in by mail from there." The PHS Young Democrats also engage in other projects. Last year they collected $1,455 for Hurricane Katrina relief, and they are in the process of collecting money to buy items to send to U.S. soldiers.

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Copyright (c) 2006, The Dominion Post, Morgantown, W.Va.

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Source: The Dominion Post (Morgantown, W.Va.)

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