Go Vote!
Good morning Oshkosh West seniors! If you will be 18-years-old prior to April 1, we would like to extend a warm welcome into the adult world. Grab your ballot and take your seat, the ride will be more seamless than you expect. Despite the pressure social studies teachers place on students to encourage involvement in elections, many students face hesitation when it comes time to register for voting.
West media center specialist Leeann Morrill sympathizes with these students’ anxieties as she recalls her own early voting experiences.
“The first time I ever voted I was in college, and it was very scary. I didn’t know what to expect and was afraid I’d do something wrong,” she said. “The first time you do anything is scary, but I felt especially underprepared my first time at the polls.”
One reason the experience was so daunting was because the adults in Morrill’s life did not prepare her adequately for what to expect. That’s why this year, she is taking matters into her own hands to eliminate stress and encourage seniors to get out and vote.
“We did the mock election in the fall and my goal for that was to make kids feel more comfortable with voting,” she said. “I also worked with the League of Women Voters and they asked if I’d ever considered doing a voter registration event. That planted the seed, and I got some resources from the civics center to run a registration event during W-hours March 4-6.”
However, turnout was slim. For the first session, only one student showed up. Morrill takes this as evidence that local elections are not as heavily emphasized as national ones, and urges students to reframe their point of reference concerning local elections and pour more consideration and care into our community.
“What we vote on locally shapes the issues in our community. For example, we’ll be voting for the school referendum, and even though it doesn’t really impact seniors and high school students, because they’ll be graduating, it does directly impact what’s going on with the school district,” she said. “It also impacts how our tax dollars are spent.”
Morrill also notes that because participation is less common, each vote carries greater weight in a local election.
“If you vote, you have more say in what’s going on in our community,” she said. “Unfortunately, not a lot of attention is paid to the local elections, so I think it’s up to us to do a little more homework to see what the candidates stand for and have to offer.”
Even if they missed the voting registration W-hours, students still have a chance to register before April 1st.
“Know where you’re going to vote, know who’s on your ballot, and do your research,” Morrill said. “Don’t be afraid to ask questions along the way. The first time you do anything, you’re learning, and if you try and ask for help along the way, it makes the learning process much easier.”
Resources for Voting:
myvote.wi.gov
vote411.org
by Jazmine Blustin
Published March 17th, 2025
Oshkosh West Index Volume 121 Issue VI