With a majority of the senior class turning 18 this year, there are many new opportunities to participate in politics and become more involved in the process of electing government officials. The process of casting a vote begins with registering to vote, a process that some 17 and 18-year-olds say is overwhelming or intimidating. According to the US Census, voter turnout was lowest in 18-24-year-olds, with a turnout of 51.4%.
Senior Noelle Woods is not 18 yet but says one of the first things she will do when she turns 18 is register to vote. She says Connecticut laws make registering to vote accessible to people. She has no concerns about accessing a way to register to vote when it comes time to do so. Noelle says “It’s so important to register to vote. You have a say in what happens in government and have a voice in our community”. Noelle believes that smaller elections matter more than larger ones because they impact Clinton more directly when it comes to issues like budgets and taxes, we, as a small town, are less impacted by most national policies.
Senior Riley Jackson who turned 18 in November, has not registered to vote. When asked why he said, “I feel as if I don’t do enough research to talk about politics, or do I really care enough about politics. I keep my opinion to myself”. Riley says it’s important for people to have the option to vote, he does not want to be forced to vote and does not think it’s fair for people to be forced to vote if they have decided against voting.
Many of the 18-year-olds at Morgan have not registered to vote. One of the most likely reasons for the lack of registration among the senior class at Morgan is the recent presidential election. It seems as if more people would want to cast their vote in a presidential election rather than in a local or state election. Senior Brittney Chapman who turns 19 this year, never registered to vote because of the 2020 presidential election that occurred right before her 18th birthday.
In Connecticut, voters can register online, by mail, or in person; making the process extremely accessible to anyone who wants to register. To register to vote online, a Connecticut voter must have a valid Connecticut driver’s license, learner’s permit, or photo ID issued by the Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles. Registering to vote online is probably the most accessible and fastest option for most Connecticut residents. It takes about 20 minutes to register, and the process is simple, allowing registrars to select street names and towns instead of typing them to avoid error.
To register by mail, the National Voter Registration Form must be filled out. The state requires that either a driver’s license number or the last four digits of a hopeful voter’s social security number is filled out on the form. This form then can be sent to Clinton’s Registrar of Voters.
The last option offered to anyone who wants to register to vote is in-person registration. In Clinton, the Registrar of Voters is open 10am-2pm on Wednesdays. By calling the Registrar of Voters, anyone who fits the requirements to register to vote and is a citizen of Clinton can set up an appointment to register to vote. Voters must register at least 3 weeks before the election they want to vote in, as it usually takes that long to receive a written confirmation a voter is registered. Connecticut does not offer Election-day voter registration.