YES, students will vote in general election

Students are offered the chance to see how much they value democracy this election day when polling stations open at District 1 schools for them to chose a president along with other candidates and decide ballot initiatives.

"Yes, Yuma Elections for Students" is a project begun by Woodard Junior High social studies teacher Gary Southworth, who also teaches a journalism class of sixth- through eighth-grade students.

"I'm the ringleader, I came up with the inspiration to do something because I just wasn't happy with Kids Voting USA," Southworth said.

Kids Voting USA is an online voting opportunity for students that aims to engage them in the democratic process. It started in 1988 by three Arizona businessmen who on a vacation to Costa Rica learned 90 percent of the electorate voted and when they returned launched a pilot project that turned into a nationwide phenomenon.

But the idea of voting online didn't require much of a commitment from students, so Southworth came up with the idea of having voting booths in the Woodard cafeteria.

"It gives them the opportunity but they're not forced," Southworth said. "And it's more like real life - they have to take time out of their day like adults, to get out there and vote."

District 1 Associate Superintendent Dwayne Shepard liked the idea well enough that he wanted to adopt the project for other district schools but has not passed on the idea just yet.

On Nov. 4 students will choose a president, a District 7 congressman, a District 24 state senator and state House representative as well as decide on whether to favor or reject school unification and Proposition 200, the payday loan initiative.

"It gives them the choice to do it, instead of just as a class assignment," Southworth said.

Sample ballots along with voting information sheets will be handed out to students several times before the election. The voting guides are the work of another Woodard faculty member, Michael Foree, eighth-grade physics and chemistry teacher, whom Southworth calls the school's "political guru."

On election day, Southworth will tally the votes before school is dismissed and announce the results over the public address system. If other District 1 results are relayed in time, he will announce those as well.

Vanessa Sanchez, 13, is an eighth-grade Woodard student and staff writer for What's Up, Woodard?, the school newspaper. Vanessa said most students hear about politics through their parents but they do not pay much attention.

"I'm starting to take more interest since the school is doing the balloting," Vanessa said. "The students will be more interested to see who is the more efficient at running the country. The main point is, the choice of candidates and issues will help decide what shape the nation takes."