QUEENSBURY, NY – More than 150 Queensbury High School students “pre-registered” to vote this week thanks to what has become an annual Warren County Board of Elections educational program at the high school.
For the third year in a row, Board of Elections staff held two days of “mock elections” at Queensbury High School, while also explaining the voting and registration processes and having voting machines on hand for students to try out.
Board of Elections personnel also had sample ballots for students, and went over the workings of early voting, absentee ballots and military ballots.
And as of Wednesday, 158 students 16 and 17 years of age (out of 250 to participate in the program) had returned voting pre-registration cards that will automatically enroll them as voters when they turn 18. New York State law recently changed to allow 16-year-olds to pre-register. Previously, pre-registration at 17 was allowed.
Teens younger than 18 who pre-register to vote are listed as “inactive” voters until they turn 18.
“We provide them forms to pre-register, and we also work with them so they are able to fill out the ballot and cast it. It’s been great program for these past three years and we are working to expand it into other schools in Warren County,” explained Beth McLaughlin, Warren County Democratic Elections Commissioner.
Said William VanNess, Warren County Republican Elections Commissioner: “The class has generated many great questions from students, and our intent is make them feel comfortable when they are of age to vote. Working with the teachers and the Queensbury staff has been great. We look forward to working with other schools throughout the county.”
Said Queensbury School Superintendent Kyle Gannon: "We are appreciative of our partnership with the Warren County Board of Elections, and our students value the process of voting and elections. This process is instrumental in their path to adulthood."
So what positions did students cast ballots for in the mock election? Dogcatcher, bus driver and a new position titled “censeless taker,” with races involving Lou Lake George, Roger Rabbit and Felix T Cat.