Midterm elections are on Nov. 8, and it’s time for many seniors to cast their first votes. If a student is (or will be) 18 by that date, they can register to vote in the upcoming election with a registration deadline of Oct. 11.

Students can print out a registration form or seek assistance from some teachers.

 “You can come to talk to one of your social studies teachers and we will give you a registration form you can fill out,” AP Government teacher Amanda Peters said. “It has a self addressed envelope which will go to the district clerk who will register you to vote”

By voting, students acquire a deeper understanding of elections and how they impact their day-to-day lives. 

“Students gain a lot from voting because they are stakeholders in the process of the election, the results, and the effects,” Peters said. “It is important for students to have their voices heard and your voice is your vote.” 

However, before voting, Peters suggests students research the candidates and issues that matter to them.

“I recommend that they do research on their candidates and then do research on the issues that matter to them,” Peters said.  Organizations like Common Cause and League of Women Voters put out a non-partisan guide to voting.”

As an AP Government teacher, Peters can play role in helping students as they venture through the election process. 

“Other than just telling them why it’s important and informing them about voter apathy and how it has contributed to a decline in voter turnout and norms and traditions, I direct them to think about how the elections interact with issues they are concerned with,” Peters said. 

Seniors such as Kavan Mehta agree that the AP Government course has helped shed a new light on the issues affecting them. 

“While I am not eligible to vote in the upcoming election, AP Government has been a big factor as the course has helped me stay aware of my political choices, and their impact on our lives,”  he said. “The course’s insight on the inner workings of the government has helped me understand how I am being represented in government through the candidates I choose by voting.”