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National Voter Registration Day worthy of being marked

National Voter Registration Day is coming up this Tuesday, and the League of Women Voters of Marquette County is planning spread the word about the importance of voting to the next generation as a way to mark the holiday.

While LWV volunteers have traditionally visited county high schools to provide students with information about how to register and vote, this year the league will be providing teachers with links to pertinent videos that describe the process of registering and voting, organizers said.

Juniors and seniors will also have a chance to participate in a contest in conjunction with the league’s theme, “Your Vote is Your Voice.”

The objective of this contest is to encourage young people to come up with creative ideas for persuading reluctant peers to register and then vote, organizers said.

The LWV is connecting with local schools to announce the contest and to coordinate submissions. Students can talk with their schools to see if the school is participating. Local leaders and members of the media will be invited to judge the students’ entries. First, second and third place entries will receive monetary awards. The deadline for submission of entries is Oct. 31 and the winning entries will be announced on Nov. 11.

For younger students, the Peter White Public Library will also be the site of a hands-on, election- related table hosted by LWVMC volunteers and inspired by Eleanor Roosevelt’s book “When You Grow Up to Vote.”

On Tuesday and again on Oct. 2, young people and their parents who visit the children’s section downstairs will have a chance to ask questions, check out some of the library’s books on voting, view historical posters about the campaign for women’s suffrage, and even be able to fill out and cast their own ballots in a child- themed election.

We encourage young people, parents and educators to participate in these events, as informing the next generation of voters is a key responsibility in our democracy. We also encourage all adults to make sure they are registered to vote and to make sure to participate in the upcoming local Nov. 2 elections. Although there aren’t any big-ticket presidential or gubernatorial races on the ballot this year, local municipal councils and millages are critical matters that residents need to weigh in on, especially considering the fact that in these cases, one or two votes really can make a difference one way or another.

To learn more about what will be on your local ballot, visit www.vote411. org. To learn more about the LWV of Marquette County, visit www.lwvmqt.org.

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