Local elected officials and concerned community members urged Oak Park and River Forest High School students to head to the polls this fall.
On Sept. 26, early voting for the 2024 presidential election will begin at polling places nationwide, and mail-in voting begins even earlier in some states. On Nov. 5, the general election will commence, marking a historic moment in United States history.
“Don’t wait for anyone to invite you to the fight…the only way to get America to where it needs to be is to make sure everyone has a say,” said State Rep. La Shawn K. Ford (D-8), who spoke to students at the Civics Service Learning Fair on Aug. 28.
Also at the fair, students could connect with more than 35 local volunteer organizations to complete a community service requirement. The organizations set up tables in the South Cafeteria, where they could also register to vote and meet Oak Park Village President Vicki Scaman and River Forest Village President Cathy Adduci.
Ford took part in a panel discussion in The Little Theater along with State Rep. Camille Lilly (D-78), U.S. Rep. Danny Davis (D-7), and local community member Peggy Kell of the League of Women Voters. The speakers advocated for getting young people involved in our political system. “Voting and caring is part of what democracy breeds. It teaches us we can have a say,” said Davis.
OPRF students for the most part agreed, according to a survey conducted by Trapeze. The survey asked about students’ opinions on the importance of voting. Of the 34 students who responded, 82.4% reported that voting was either important or extremely important to them personally.
Senior Audrey Hufford encouraged her peers to vote, saying, “It’s like something that you can actually do to make a change in your community and in your country.”
Senior Kiran Fry said that voting is “a responsibility we have to ourselves and everyone else in the country.”
On this upcoming ballot, American citizens are voting for numerous categories. The current ballot for the village of Oak Park contains 54 candidates and four ballot measures.
The first measure asks whether assisted reproductive treatments, such as in vitro fertilization, should be covered by medical insurance that covers pregnancy benefits without limitations. The second measure is a question of whether the wealthy should be taxed more to assist with property tax relief. The third asks whether or not candidates should be subject to penalty if tampering with election workers’ duties.
On the Oak Park ballot specifically, there will be a referendum on a concept called ranked choice voting, which would have voters rank candidate options on a number scale instead of just choosing one. If the candidate that was the voters’ first choice gets eliminated their vote would automatically go to their second choice, and so on.
The candidates that will be on the ballot include not just our president, senators and state and U.S. representatives, but also local officials who handle important issues for our state and community. These positions include judges and positions on the Cook County Board and courts as well as special, division-specific categories.
Overall, this election is one of nationwide importance for a variety of reasons: America will be electing a new president, and for the first time in American history a woman of color is on the ballot running for U.S president.
Those of us who are turning 18 before the general election date can help shape the future of this country, and those of us who are not quite there yet will be able to participate in voting by the time the next presidential election comes around.
Kell of the League of Women Voters advised those who still want to get involved but are not yet of age to vote to call or send letters to their local legislative offices to support the John R. Lewis Advancement Act of 1964. This act would create policies surrounding voting rights and the arbitrary way some states are changing them and disenfranchising voters.
Civics and history teacher Jaqueline Torres said, “It’s important to be an advocate for those who don’t have a voice. If you want the system to change, you have to participate in it.”
For anyone interested in learning more about how to get involved, there are many options for them in the Oak Park and River Forest community. OPRF students are welcome to attend the Government & Political Policy/Youth Action & Civics Club, which meets Thursday mornings. Contact history teacher Maia Zeidman for further information.
Another way to get informed is to attend an information session on ballot measures hosted by the League of Women Voters along with CHANGE Illinois and FairVote Illinois at the Oak Park Main Library on Monday, Oct. 21 from 7 to 8:30 p.m.
