Jaguar seniors cast ballots
On Oct. 30, social studies teacher Jesse Evans brought Cedar Shoals seniors on a field trip to the Miriam Moore Community Service Center in East Athens, one of many early voting locations.
Georgia has been standing out in this election, tallying some of the highest rates of early voters in the country, reaching the 3 million mark. 11% of those voters are 18-29 years old. With six locations around Athens, Clarke County has made early voting very accessible and easy.
Cedar Shoals contributed 17 of those early voters, which made Evans proud. After organizing similar field trips during the last three election cycles, Evans feels voting is an imperative point in people’s lives.
“It’s important. Voting matters. Elections matter. I chose to teach government and civics. A big reason I chose to do it is because I didn’t think that I had gotten it well enough when I was in high school,” Evans said.
Senior Taliyah Nash agrees.
“I feel like my vote matters. I feel like everybody’s vote matters, because it’s all going to one thing,” Nash said. “Your vote impacts the world because whoever you vote for, it goes to the polls. So whoever becomes the President is gonna impact the world. So your vote impacts the world.”
Senior Danielle Denmark feels voting doesn’t just mean choosing who leads the country.
“I’m voting early because I think it would help to encourage other people to go vote,” Denmark said.
Similar remarks were shared throughout students during the field trip. The benefits of early voting they listed included not having to wait in a long line, not worrying about getting it done, and informing others about voting before election day.
Students also showed appreciation for the field trip itself.
“For most people it’s kind of hard to go and vote or to know where to vote, and it just makes it a lot easier when you have a field trip to go on or someone to lead you there,” senior Austin Trammell said.
Before leaving the Miriam Moore Community Service Center, Evans delivered a speech acknowledging the students’ bravery and striving to get their vote out there.
Students seem satisfied too, and while nerves build as the election approaches, Trammell hopes his vote can make a difference.
“I’m kind of worried about the outcome but I hope my vote makes it better,” Trammell said.
