Reported by Troy Kinsey
TALLAHASSEE -- A plan to bring voter education into Florida high schools is sparking controversy.
While 2008 may have seen an uptick in the number of young people voting, only half of eligible young voters actually cast their ballots.
That’s why some state lawmakers said it is time for a voter education course, but critics said it’s part of a push to give one party an unfair advantage at the polls.
They’ve heard the lectures, they’re read the books, but for too many kids, American democracy is still a little fuzzy.
Lawmakers have filed bills to give presentations to high school seniors, to be conducted by the local supervisor of elections, who more often than not runs into very few young people at the polls.
“A lot of it is a lack of education,” said high school seniors Hillary Clark and Jamie Lowstetter. “Kids don’t know how important it really is. Therefore, they don’t think it matters if they go to put their word in.”
Of course, putting your word in first means being registered to vote. Under the plan, students who are 18 years old would be able to fill out and turn in their registration forms when the presentation is over.
Since democracy depends upon the will of the people, some might think registering more voters is a no-brainer -- but there’s a lot of politics at play here. That’s because young people have tended to vote overwhelmingly for Democrats.
In the 2008 presidential election, 68 percent of young voters cast their ballot for Barack Obama.
It follows many could also vote against the Republicans who control the Capitol, but Leslie Smernoff, who teaches government to high school students, pointed to 1993’s “motor voter” bill passed by a Congress controlled by Democrats.
“In actuality, the motor voter bill helped the Republicans, because it was the rural voter who is going to register his car so he could get his license, who never registered to vote, who actually came out in support,” Smernoff said.
Politics aside, many have argued a bigger focus on civics is long overdue.
Lawmakers could vote on the bills during the next legislative session, which begins in March.
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