Students find pre-registration voting process quick and easy

CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CA (Oct. 28, 2024) — The number of contested races and issues up for consideration in the November General Election may mean it could take a little longer to fill out the ballot, but for students at Concord High School who recently pre-registered to vote, the process was quick and painless.

“It was easy,” said 16-year-old Luis Garcia, a junior who thought there was going to be little more to it.

That said, he noted he was going to give any of his friends who balked at stopping at the Contra Costa County Election Department’s mobile popup table a hard time and tell them they could still go online to pre-register.

Election department staff were set up Oct. 2 on the backside of the Concord campus in hopes of pre-registering still more juniors and seniors, as well as getting those who will be 18 by Nov. 5 on the voter rolls.

Engaging the youth vote

Melissa Hickok, assistant to Kristin B. Connelly, county clerk-recorder and registrar of voters, collected 130 registration affidavits, including at least one 17-year-old who will turn 18 before the election.

Her time at the school also afforded a special mom moment as she watched her twin sons, Cody and Connor, take advantage of the opportunity to fill out the brief, one-page form. The duo will get their first chance to vote in the 2026 March Primary, unless a local special election comes up before then.

While being “mortified” about the quality of the signatures of some of her young charges, Hickok was quick to give them a pass as it was “encouraging they are so interested in what is going on in America and the world.”

“Students at Concord High were very engaged in this event and had good questions about the democratic process,” she reported.

The mobile unit was also scheduled to visit De La Salle High School as the Election Department outreach team wrapped up stops at schools in conjunction with California High School Voter Education Weeks. This annual statewide activity takes place in September, but local school visits continued through the middle of October to accommodate the high demand.

Poll workers

Along with preregistration for voting, volunteer opportunities for students to serve as poll workers in November was part of the conversation.

“A goal is to have 292 student poll workers (two at each polling place), and currently we have 129 assigned,” said Hickok.

Applications are still being accepted online, with a particular need in East and West County. Hickok noted that polling stations in Central County, including Concord, Clayton, Pleasant Hill, Martinez and Walnut Creek, have students assigned to them but there is still room for more.

Along with a GPA of at least 2.5 on a 4.0 scale, students must obtain permission from a parent or guardian and from the principal or vice principal of their school to participate. Students also must complete the required training.

Students can apply online at www.contracostavote.gov/elections/poll-worker-center/student-poll-worker.

David Scholz

David Scholz is back in journalism as a freelance writer and photographer after nearly two decades in education. Prior to moving into teaching in 2000, he worked as a full-time journalist since 1988 for rural community and small daily newspapers in Central Ohio and Northern Nevada, and later in California with The Business Journal in Fresno and dailies in the Bay Area, including The Oakland Tribune and The San Francisco Chronicle. More recently Scholz also worked in an editing, writing, and page layout role with the Rossmoor News.