Student Voices: Why Voter Registration Matters

Kansas City Public Schools and NAACP Kansas City hosted a voter registration drive-thru event on Wednesday, Sept. 30 at Central High School. The goal of the event was to provide a safe and convenient opportunity for KCPS students, family members and community members to register to vote in the Nov. 7 general election. During the event, students were asked to respond to the question, "Why is it important for young people to register to vote?"

Riley Pendleton (Senior, Central High School)

We have to vote if we really want to have a voice in what happens. It's important for people to protest, but it's not enough. Voting is the most important thing we can do to make a change. Real change is going to start with the election. You can't vote if you're not registered. So, yes, I want to see all of my friends and classmates who can vote in November, get registered and vote. That is how we have a voice and shape the future.

O'Bon Robinson (Junior, Southeast High School)

If we want to get our voices across and have people hear us, we need to vote. As minority children, we don’t usually get heard. It takes each person to make a change. We all can make a change, but that requires voting. I worry a lot about our future, in general, I see the president doing things aren’t beneficial for our communities. I just want to see someone else who is going to bring better changes for our world as a whole. I want to live in a world where we can focus on the positive instead of all these negatives. I want to focus on making a positive impact on the world. That impact starts with voting.

Wednesday, Oct. 7 is the deadline to register to vote in the Nov. 3 election in Missouri. Visit the Kansas City Board of Election Commissioners' website to learn more about how, where and when to register and to vote.