As the midterm elections are approaching, the Young Democrats and the Young Conservative Clubs at Solon High School (SHS) are working together to get students registered to vote. Members set up tables in the Senior Commons for students to receive and fill out their forms.

The political science clubs are using this initiative to highlight why students should get registered and what changes they can make by voting. AP Government teacher Bryan Ashkettle, who is also the advisor for these clubs, explains how students can do that.

“If you truly wanted to make substantial change, your age group, that 18-25, voting is the only way to do it,” Ashkettle said. “If you were able to get the eligible electorate over 50 percent, young people would see their power increase exponentially.”

Newly registered senior Drew Lavine, reflects on how he feels about being able to vote and how it will impact him in the upcoming elections.

“I do plan on voting, and I feel like I have a responsibility, and I feel more mature,” Lavine said. “It is a privilege to vote and you should really use that. It is a very monumental stage when you turn 18 and you get that opportunity to vote.”

Furthermore, now that some students are able to vote for the first time, senior Olivia Melnick addresses concerns involving decision making and filling out the ballot.

“I feel like I’m not prepared only because I feel like I lack education on the facts,” Melnick said. “I feel like I’m not educated enough to make the decision to vote for whichever candidate is available.”

Melnick also reflected on how she feels like she has never seen a ballot and doesn’t even know where to go.

“This is something I need to figure out for sure, and I feel like I haven’t been told how to do it for the first time,” Melnick said.

As some students reveal how they are hesitant to vote, Ashkettle counters by explaining why voting is so important in the political climate today.

“It is the cornerstone of our democracy of course,” he said. “And I don’t know why, but it feels like our democracy is really fragile now with certain people questioning the legitimacy of certain votes.”

Ashkettle expressed how he believes that the United States runs elections in a sufficient way and has done so for over 200 years.

“If that was to ever break down, then we are in trouble as a country because voting is one of the cornerstones of which we stand by,” he said.