High School Students Receive Training To Operate Early Voting Sites

(Podium / Speaking): Ted Crews, Special Advisor to the President and CEO and Chief Administrative Officer of the Chicago Bears, speaks to students during an Election Judge training at John Hersey High School as part of the Cook County Clerk’s Office’s High School Early Voting Program. Clerk Monica Gordon looks on. Photo provided by the Cook County Clerk’s office.
(Podium / Speaking): Ted Crews, Special Advisor to the President and CEO and Chief Administrative Officer of the Chicago Bears, speaks to students during an Election Judge training at John Hersey High School as part of the Cook County Clerk’s Office’s High School Early Voting Program. Clerk Monica Gordon looks on. Photo provided by the Cook County Clerk’s office.

High School Students Receive Training To Operate Early Voting Sites

By Tia Carol Jones

The Cook County Clerk’s Office recently hosted an event to train high school students on how to administer an official election. On Tuesday, Jan. 6th, the Cook County Clerk’s Office launched the “Defenders of “DA’mocracy” program. The initiative will train students from 24 Cook County high schools so that they can operate on-campus early voting sites at their schools. The Gubernatorial primary election takes place on March 17th, and early voting begins on March 2nd.

The students who participate in the trainings are informed about the parts of the election process from voter check-in to same day voter registration, issuing voter cards and activating ballots, as well as casting, scanning and securing ballots. The goal is for the students to have this comprehensive hands-on training in order to ensure accuracy, security and integrity. The students are held to the same standards as the other election judges to ensure they are compliant with election law.

Cook County Clerk Monica Gordon is deeply passionate about voting and protecting Democracy. She strongly believes that young people deserve a voice and meaningful opportunities to engage in the civic process. Gordon said that voting gives students a voice, and when eligible high school students vote they have a direct say in decisions that affect their school and community. Those decisions include everything from education funding to public safety and job opportunities.

Gordon said that early engagement helps to build lifelong civic habits. She said that research shows that people who vote when they are first eligible to do so, are far more likely to remain active and are informed voters throughout their lives. She said that young voters bring fresh perspectives and energy.

“Democracy works best when everyone participates,” she said. She added that decisions made today have long-term consequences and students deserve a seat at the table when those choices are made.

Gordon said the students at the first training in Arlington Heights were very engaged. She said they were asking technical questions. She said while they are just being exposed to the program and the voting process, their questions ranged from basic information to specific questions about the voting process. Gordon said the anticipated impact of the program is significant because it addresses two barriers to youth voting engagement, access and familiarity in the voting process.

“I think, by bringing early voting directly into the high schools and training students as election judges, the program transforms students from passive observers into active participants in the electoral process,” she said.

Gordon said the students are gaining first-hand experience with election administration, which has the potential to build confidence, trust and understanding of how Democracy works. She said when people are involved in the electoral and political process, they will have more confidence and trust in it. She said the goal is to have more student election judges, an increase in student voter participation and more voter registration and turnout among young people. She added, the hope is that young student voters will be engaged in future elections.

Gordon said that the Cook County Clerk’s office views the program as a scalable model that can influence youth civic participation beyond a single election cycle. She said she has received feedback from organizations about partnering in the program. She is optimistic that the program can expand and evolve.

The Chicago Bears are the partner for the program and Gordon said that given the transformative nature of the program, the Bears are a trusted, highly visible, community institution that could amplify the impact. She said the Bears expressed interest in the program immediately and they are helping to elevate the message that civic responsibility matters.

For more information about the Cook County Clerk’s office, visit www.cookcountyclerkil.gov.

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