By Dennis Jarrett, Director of Media & Community Relations
Students at Warren Central High School recently had a unique opportunity to experience democracy in action through a series of Mock Election sessions designed to introduce them to the political and voting process.
The event, organized with support from the Marion County Election Board and the League of Women Voters, allowed students to learn about civic participation, register to vote if they were eligible, and even cast ballots using real voting machines.
Economics teacher Leah Colville said the experience helps remove barriers that sometimes prevent young voters from participating.
“I think the importance is that we have an exceptionally low voter turnout in the 18-to-24-year-old group,” Colville explained. “These elections affect them as much as anybody else, and we need to hear their voice. Exposure to the actual voting machines helps demystify the process and gives students confidence about what to expect.”
The effort was largely driven by two Warren Central juniors, Brittany Ballesteros and Adjanie Joseph, who became student voting advocates after seeing an opportunity posted by their U.S. history teacher.
Both students said they wanted to help their peers understand how important civic participation can be.
“I knew that once I’m old enough to vote, I want to do it,” Joseph said. “Before this program I didn’t know much about the process, but I knew it was something everyone should participate in. We wanted to share that information and help others understand it.”
Ballesteros said the goal was also to close the gap between younger and older voters.
“Young people vote at much lower percentages than older people,” she said. “If younger voters even reach the 50 percent mark, that’s considered amazing, while older voters are often around 80 percent. It’s important for people our age to be informed because the world could change if more young people participated.”
For Warren Central Principal Masimba Taylor, the event represents the kind of student leadership and civic awareness schools hope to inspire.
“Voting is one of the top ways to make a difference,” Taylor said. “It’s exciting to see our students not only learning about the process but also leading the effort to make sure their peers understand how powerful their voices can be.”