On April 2 Columbia will be holding a municipal election, voting for the Columbia Public Schools (CPS) School Board of Education and City Council Seats. Many students will be participating as Youth Election Participants (YEP) to make sure the voting process goes smoothly. 

Anyone between the ages of 15 and 17 with a teacher recommendation can apply to become a YEP through a form on the Boone County Clerk website. The role of YEPs is essentially to ensure that people have a good voting experience on Election Day. There are many responsibilities, such as helping open and close polling places, operating the Address Change Poll Pad and assisting with the voter check-in process. County Clerk Brianna L. Lennon says that she enjoys the eagerness that YEPs bring to the voting process. 

“[YEPs] always come to the polling place with energy and enthusiasm,” said Lennon. “Our regular election judges really enjoy having students learn the process.”

The job of YEPs presents the opportunity for young people to learn more about civic engagement and democratic values. Additionally, it encourages them to learn how a local election differs from a presidential one, which is more commonly learned in school. Freshman Ishita Gautam will be a YEP this week and learned about the opportunity through her older sisters. She said their satisfaction from volunteering is always evident, and she is excited to see a local election up close.

“The biggest goal I hope to achieve is to have a lot of knowledge of how local elections work in our local community,” Gautam said. “I predict [being a YEP] will be a fulfilling and exciting experience that I will feel glad to be a part of.”

Many students at RBHS have been getting involved in election matters, whether through promoting voter registration or volunteering as a YEP. Senior Sophia Bader is one of these students, and although she will not be a YEP this year, she plans on it in the future and is excited to become more active in the voting process. Bader said she believes that making sure younger people are informed about these matters is extremely important for the future. 

“I am a strong proponent of exercising one’s right to vote; I view it as the responsibility of those living in a democracy,” Bader said. “As with many other aspects of our society, the interest of the younger generation is the key to the survival of the voting process.”

Being a YEP is a way to include teenagers in an environment that is typically deemed an adult topic. This job offers a look inside the electoral process and ensures that younger audiences are informed, educated, and knowledgeable about how it works. Gautam tends to feel distrustful of the election process, with the number of recounts in some of them making it feel rigged. She said that acting as a YEP might be able to prove the validity and dependability of an election.

“I hope that participating in the election will restore my faith in elections and teach me how elections try their best to be as fair and true as possible,” Gautam said. “I can already tell I will become more involved in politics and community after experiencing being a YEP […] From all those obligations and hands-on experience in local elections, anyone is bound to become more involved in all that.”

Do you know anyone that will be volunteering as a YEP? Let us know in the comments below.