“Currently the law requires the
clerks to go into the schools and provide a voter registration opportunity for
the students,” said Wood. “I proposed we take it a step further and not only
give them an opportunity to register to vote, but to give them an opportunity
to vote.”
Students who wish to participate
can board a bus at their school Oct. 23-24 and ride to the Putnam County
Courthouse in Winfield where early voting takes place.
“It’s going to be non-partisan.
Obviously, we’re going to pat the ones on the back who choose to participate
and tell them, ‘Good job.” said Wood. “But we’re not going to hurt the ones
that choose not to, because that’s obviously their right.”
Wood looks at the idea as an
educational opportunity. He said many who register to vote have never seen a
voting machine and may not even understand how the process works. He regularly
takes the county’s voting machines into the elementary schools for instruction
on how to vote, but that experience fades as they get older.
“Civics classes try to teach it,
but there’s never a hands on experience for students,” said Wood. “Our goal
would be to provide the opportunity to not only educate them in the classroom
in the way of election, but give them the opportunity to get on the bus, be
driven to the courthouse, and push the buttons themselves.”
Wood hopes by being shown the
process many of the first time voters will be interested in a lifelong
participation in their civic duty.
“They realize it’s not that bad an experience
and not that big a deal,” Wood said. “Plus they’re making decisions for
themselves for their future. Decisions made today will affect 18 year olds when
they are 25.”
