In the past, students looking to register to vote had to go city offices, the county clerk, the DMV or sometimes churches having drives. However, Jan. 27-29, it was possible to register in the cafeteria during lunch.

The Young Democrats, led by junior Julia Nall, first pushed for a voter registration drive when the club began. In 2012, a similar club tried, but the attempt was unsuccessful.

“There was a Young Republicans club, and they wanted to [open up a registration], but they didn’t have Democratic representation,” Nall said. “Now that we have a club for both parties, we were able to do it.”

The registration was possible thanks to Mayor Jill Dabbs, who met with Nall. The Mayor’s Youth Advisory Council had discussed starting a registration at school to give students the opportunity before the primary election.

“I reached out to [Mayor Dabbs] like, ‘Hey, we have these clubs wanting to do it too,’ and it just went on from there,” Nall said.

President of the Young Republicans club, junior Brad Brewer, is excited for the students who got to register.

“I think it’s awesome to have the ability to help other students register to vote,” Brewer said. “It takes a lot of stress off of them and brings political excitement for the election.”

Senior Damon Peters believes that without voting registration, many students would have been left in the dark.

“With the registration at school, it gives us the opportunity [to register], instead of having to worry about where to go, because a lot of parents don’t even know,” Peters said.

One of the civic responsibilities is voting, which made registering a necessity for senior Sarah Smith.

“Registering is important to [me], because I am going to be 18,” Smith said. “It [may be] a choice, but it is the right thing to do.”

Having voting resources available in school will open up the doors to an earlier participation for politics.

“We need a voting population if we want a good and functioning democracy,” Nall said. “If we can start that at as young of an age as possible, then why not.”