Those over 18 registered to vote for the first time in a presidential election, while 16- and 17-year-olds pre-registered thanks to a new Illinois law.
De La Salle Institute history teacher Steven Hopkins took his students on a trip to Leo High School on Chicago’s South Side Tuesday so they could register to vote.
Roughly 400 Chicago-area teens were there for the voter registration drive organized by Get Out the Vote 4 Teens. Young people 18 or older were registering to vote for the first time in a presidential election this November, while 16- and 17-year-olds were able to pre-register thanks to an Illinois law that went into effect this year.
Hopkins said it’s important for teens to understand what role the government plays in their lives.
“They’re paying taxes and they could possibly be drafted for war,” Hopkins said of his students. “So if they’re taking your money, you might want to know where it’s going and have some say in that.”
His students crowded a corner of the bustling room, waiting to register. Among them stood 17-year-old Jacob Federici, who said rising gas prices are top of mind for him.
“I have to pay like $70 to fill up my tank,” he said.
He won’t be old enough to vote this November. But if he could, Federici said he would favor a candidate who promised to bring gas prices down.
Over on the other side of the room, Leo High School student Aiden Tyler Lott said he is most concerned about the housing crisis.
“I would like to be able to afford a home when I’m older,” the 17-year-old said. “So if any presidential [candidate] could lower housing costs a little bit, that would be nice.”
Beside him, Jesse Howard, 18, said he was most concerned about the migrant crisis and its effects on the American economy. He credits his family for helping him develop his political consciousness.
“The people around me are pushing me to learn more about politics, learn about the people who are running for president and to know who’s in charge of our country to make sure this country is running correctly,” Howard said.
But that’s not the case for all teens, said Ald. David Moore, 17th Ward, who attended the drive. He said getting kids signed up to vote can be the first step toward more civic engagement.
“People are not voting because people are not engaged,” Moore said. “When you get people registered, they start asking those questions like ‘Hey, how does community service, how does politics, how does what you do impact me as a young person?’”
As an eighth grader, Moore said he participated in mock elections in his civics class which taught him how the government works. He wants to see more of that in Chicago schools today.
Over at De La Salle, Hopkins’ civics class will learn about the Constitution this fall. He said he plans to weave information about the current presidential election cycle into his lectures, like when his students can vote or why the political system is set up the way it is.
Hopkins hopes his class encourages his students to get more politically involved.
“If the youth shows up, it could change the election.”
Anna Savchenko is a reporter for WBEZ. You can reach her at asavchenko@wbez.org.
