Rho Kappa partners with Colorado Democracy Challenge for voter drive

Representatives+from+the+Colorado+Democracy+Challenge+assist+a+student+in+pre-registering+to+vote.+At+the+end+of+the+day%2C+we%E2%80%99re+all+about+accessibility+and+election+access.+We+stress+the+options+that+everyone+has+to+make+their+voices+heard%2C+Danielle+Grimm+said.

Representatives from the Colorado Democracy Challenge assist a student in pre-registering to vote. “At the end of the day, we’re all about accessibility and election access. We stress the options that everyone has to make their voices heard,” Danielle Grimm said.

Jakob Aggers, Editor in Chief

Rho Kappa, the national Social Studies Honor Society, put on a voter drive at Back to School night on August 26th. They set up a table in the Ranger Zone and used an online website to register individuals to vote.

“I think it’s really cool that we get to be involved in the community and encourage others to register to vote. The importance of voting to me personally in the U.S. is that everyone gets a say,” McKinzie Wade 12, a board member for the Lewis-Palmer chapter of the Rho Kappa Social Studies Honor Society, said. “This is America, so we have freedom, and we have the opportunity to have a say in our elections.”

Although Rho Kappa did not register many individuals that night, they enjoyed being able to speak with parents and staff about voting and civic engagement.

Students from the Rho Kappa Social Studies Honor Society participate in the voter drive at Back to School Night. “There were only a few people interested in registering to vote with us, but that is not necessarily a bad thing because pretty much everyone was already registered,” Wade 12 said. “It was nice to talk to people, encourage others to vote, and express different views. I think it was very successful overall.”

“There were only a few people interested in registering to vote with us, but that is not necessarily a bad thing because pretty much everyone was already registered,” Wade 12 said. “It was nice to talk to people, encourage others to vote, and express different views. I think it was successful overall.” 

On Tuesday September 3 and Wednesday September 4, the Rho Kappa Social Studies Honor Society assisted in another voter drive in accordance with the Colorado Democracy Challenge, which is a non-partisan, non-profit organization that is coming into high schools to pre-register 16 and 17 year old students.

Representatives from the CDC set up a table in the front of the school, and, with the help of Rho Kappa members, successfully aided in helping students register and pre-register to vote.

“It has been incredibly effective,” Danielle Grimm, a representative of the Colorado Democracy Challenge, said. “From our data matrix and understanding the sheer amount of students we have pre-registered, to speaking with kids in the field, the impact has been clear across the board.”

Registering and pre-registering to vote also has direct impacts in the community. The power of voting extends beyond electing a candidate; the number of individuals in community that exercise this civic responsibility can have largely affect the community itself.”

Communities that have higher rates of people who are registered to vote are more likely to be civically engaged in other ways like volunteering, testifying in Congress, or going to city council meetings. The communities with more individuals registered to vote also have lower crime rates,” Kaleena Kovach, another CDC representative, said. “Not only is it a personal difference to have your voice be heard, but registering to vote also leaves an impact on your community.”

The Colorado Democracy Challenge stated that Lewis-Palmer high school registered a total of 103 students to vote in one day on Tuesday, September 3rd. This beat their previous record of 79 people in one day, and also beat the two-day record of 97 people registered.