With an upcoming Humboldt County Uniform District Election on November 7, 2023, 18-year-old seniors at Arcata High School prepare to hit the polls for the first time. While these elections may not seem as impactful as the presidential elections, they are a significant milestone in the lives of new potential voters.
According to the Attendance Office at Arcata High School, there are thirty-five seniors who will be eligible to vote on November 7th. Yet, not all seniors show enthusiasm for voting. Some students have not given much thought to their newfound ability.
Firstly, in order to vote you must register. Registration is accessible online or by mail. There is even a link to register on the Arcata High School website that is put up annually during voting season. But, seniors seem to be procrastinating when it comes to voter registration.
Some students, like senior David Halligan, are planning to vote but have yet to register. Halligan is neither anticipating or dreading voting for the first time. “I’m just kind of unbiased about it,” Halligan said.
Other eligible voters are excited to vote for the first time. “I have pre-registered and registered,” senior Alex White said. White is looking forward to making his vote count and receiving his first “I Voted” sticker, but he also feels some unease. White believes it is important for people to vote because “there are a lot of people that don’t do it, that just think ‘if I don’t do it, someone else will’ and then your voice isn’t heard.”
While there won’t be a great number of new voters from Arcata High School participating in the upcoming district election, some students are looking forward to the 2024 presidential elections. Juniors and seniors alike consider next year’s election to be extremely significant. Although 16 and 17-year-olds can’t register to vote, they are able to pre-register, meaning their voter registration will become active as soon as they turn 18. Voting feels surreal to some juniors, like Madison Trieu who will be 18 by the next voting season. “When you’re a kid and you always hear about like, ‘who should I vote for’ and all that, and now it’s going to be me,” Trieu said.
Adults around the Arcata High School campus encourage seniors to exercise their voting rights. “I think it’s very important for them, for all students, that if they want to see changes happen in their world, they take the effort to at least go out and elect people that they think will be able to make those changes,” AP Government and Economics teacher, Adam Pinkerton said.
