Davis High 18-year-olds register to vote for the 2022 midterms

PHOTO: Senior Owen Fernandes contemplates his choices on the Nov. 8 midterm ballot.

By Sean Campbell

BlueDevilHUB.com Staff–

Davis High 18-year-olds prepare for their first time voting at the Nov. 8 midterms through their government classes.

A major part of the government courses is the study of how voting and representation work as well as their relation to the individual students at DHS.

“I think it is essential for students to learn their rights about voting and the process. If not at school then they are going to have to look it up later, which could cause more confusion,” AP government teacher Kristin Swanstrom said.

Swanstrom allows students to pre-register during class on the Secretary of State’s website where registration is quick and simple.

Senior Owen Fernandes learned about the voting process from his government teacher, Bill Williams. “Mr. Williams really helped me understand the voting process by giving us examples in class of a ballot and how to read the questions to make an informed decision,” Fernandes said.

Fernandes doesn’t enjoy crowded spaces like voting lines so he made sure to take advantage of the mail-in ballot system. “It made it really easy to understand because I could take it home and talk to my parents and friends about it, instead of waiting in a really long line at the Vet Center,” Fernandes said.

Davis has four in-person voting locations this year: Montgomery Elementary School, the Veterans Memorial Center, the UC Davis Arc and Emerson Junior High. Of age citizens can also opt for a mail-in ballot which can either be mailed to vote collection sites or dropped off at a dropbox before the election closes.

Senior Carlos Mendez is unable to vote due to being a United States resident rather than a citizen, however, he still thinks it important for all eligible voters to vote. “That’s who’s going to be representing you and those around you, it’s definitely something that everyone should do,” Mendez said.

Mendez struggles to get involved in politics without the ability to vote but that if he could vote he would, “start getting active in understanding what’s going on in politics.”

Fernandes was never interested in politics before this election but has begun talking with trusted adults and friends to try to understand all sides of the issues in this election. “I talk to my parents, teachers and my friends to understand what each of the propositions do, and to hear all sides of any given issue,” Fernandes said.

In the spring, there will be a voter registration drive held at DHS, to help 16 and 17 year old students get ready to vote in upcoming elections. “Last year a couple of students put on a registration drive with the Yolo County office of elections. They had a table and a little bit of swag where students could go to register to vote on campus,” Swanstrom said.