Secretary of State Simon urges students to register to vote; become election judges
Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon spoke with Benson High School students last Friday about the importance of voting. He also answered student questions during the hour-long session in the Performing Arts Center.
Now is the time to start thinking about your right to vote, Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon told Benson High School students in grades 9 through 12 last Friday.
While many in the audience were under 18 years of age and won’t be voting in this year’s election, Simon told them about a new Minnesota law that allows 16- and 17-year-olds to pre-register to vote. Those who pre-register, are automatically registered to vote on their 18th birthday, Simon told the students.
Simon also told students that as of age 16, they are eligible to be an election judge. “It is a paid position,” he said. There is two hours of training, which a person is also paid for taking. Students are allowed out of school or work to be an election judge under state law.
There is a good reason for students to preregister to vote or to be an election judge – it establishes the habit of voting. Once people participate in the election process at an early age it becomes a habit and they become more frequent voters, Simon said.
For more on this story, support community journalism and subscribe to the Swift County Monitor-News.
