Voter drive encourages student participation in elections

Civic-minded students at Eden Prairie High School learned how to register to vote during a recent visit by the League of Women Voters of Minnetonka, Eden Prairie, and Hopkins (LWV MEPH) in conjunction with the student-led Youth Voter Project.

Amid the bustling South Commons cafeteria space during lunch on Sept. 24, LWV MEPH’s Kyle Rose and Tom Schraufnagel moved from table to table, chatting with students and sharing information about how to register or pre-register to vote.

Schraufnagel is a retired social studies teacher who now lives in Eden Prairie and works as a reserve teacher in EP Schools. He said that as part of the League of Women Voters, which includes both men and women, he is on a mission to encourage young people to exercise their right and responsibility to vote.

“Civic engagement is vital to a democracy,” he said. “The only way we will be able to function as a democracy is to have an active citizenry.”

Even though 18 is the minimum voting age for U.S. citizens, Minnesota has allowed 16- and 17-year-olds to pre-register to vote since 2022. Once they submit a voter registration form, full registration will take effect automatically on their 18th birthday.

Dheekshi Jayaprakash, an 11th grader at EPHS and a junior member of LWV MEPH, helped organize the voter registration drive and shared information about the Youth Voter Project.

“Our goal is to get more 16- and 17-year-olds pre-registered to vote, get more civically involved, and learn about the voting process, so that when they’re 18, they’re ready to make the decision,” she said.

Jayaprakash said statistics show that 18- to 24-year-olds who had pre-registered to vote when they were 16 or 17, exercise their right to vote at a higher level than those who had waited until they were 18 or older to register.

Promoting youth engagement

For Rose, a longtime Eden Prairie resident who recently moved to Shakopee, this event was a full-circle moment: she had first registered to vote as a student in 1973 when the League of Women Voters came to her alma mater, Edina High School.

Rose said she wanted young people to know there are many ways to get involved even before they are old enough to vote. One way is to attend voter forums and pay attention to local, state, and national affairs so they can have educated conversations with their peers and adults about important topics that affect everyone.

Although many students who stopped by the booth were not yet old enough even to pre-register to vote, several browsed the array of informational flyers.

Ninth grader Shuiab Mohamud said he would tell his older sibling how to pre-register and also picked up one of LWV’s stickers to show his social studies teacher. “We’re learning about voting and the Constitution right now in my Democratic Foundations class,” he said.

While only citizens 18 and older can be full-fledged election judges, 16- and 17-year-olds can work as election judge trainees. Registration is handled by each city’s offices (Eden Prairie said it is not currently recruiting, however). Those who sign up will need to take the day off school on Election Day, undergo training, and will be paid for their work.

Seniors Deion Lange, 17, and Gabriel Hernandez, 18, both said they were interested in learning more about this opportunity. Rose explained the process, including the hours and the way judges and trainees rotate between jobs throughout the day.

“Being an election judge is one of the most honorable things you can do, and it’s wonderful watching the process,” Rose said.

How to vote: Must-know info

Who can vote?

To vote in Minnesota, you must be a U.S. citizen, at least 18 years old on Election Day, and a resident of Minnesota for at least 20 days. If you have a felony conviction, you can vote if you are not currently incarcerated for that felony offense.

Pre-registration for 16- and 17-year-olds

Even though 18 is the minimum voting age, 16- and 17-year-olds can submit a voter registration form and have their registration take effect on their 18th birthday.

Register to vote

You must be registered to vote at your current address. To register or to update your registration, go to mnvotes.gov. It is best to register before Election Day but not required. To register on Election Day, you must show proof of your name and current address. See what ID and documents you can bring at mnvotes.gov.

Voting locations and hours

To find out where to vote, visit mnvotes.gov. Most polling places are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

See your sample ballot

To see the candidates and questions that will be on your ballot, go to mnvotes.gov.

What to bring on Election Day

If you are registered to vote at your current address, you do not need to bring identification. If you need to register or to update your registration, you will need to show proof of residence before you vote. To learn more, go to mnvotes.gov or call 1-877-600-VOTE.

Vote early with an absentee ballot

You can vote early at your local elections. You can also apply to have an absentee ballot sent to you in the mail. To find your local elections office or to request an absentee ballot, visit mnvotes.gov.