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| Represent Yourself: The Power of One | This article appeared in the Winter 2003 issue of the Connecticut Voter. |
| The LWV Westport Civics Project | |
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| "Of the people, by the people, for the
people ..." League of Women Voters of Westport members use this familiar quote from Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address as a springboard for a dynamic presentation called Represent Yourself: The Power of One to all students of American Government at Staples High School. The goal of this community outreach is to encourage young people to become actively involved in the democratic process. It was 1999 when LWV of Westport members gathered at the traditional post-election coffee and talk turned to low voter turnout. League members wondered, "What can we do about voter apathy?" Since voter turnout is statistically the lowest in the 18-25 year old population, a high school civics presentation was the answer. An enthusiastic committee quickly formed and within six months, with cooperation from the Social Studies department at the high school, and with help from many sources including the Secretary of State's office, a dynamic curriculum was developed. LWV members (two per classroom) spend about 40 minutes in every American Government classroom at Staples High School during the fall and spring semesters. The presentation includes a brief introduction to the League of Women Voters. Interestingly, there are often many questions about the LWV and its process of study and advocacy. Then students are asked to think about how government affects them. They typically identify driving privileges, selective service registration, school requirements, taxes, etc., as issues that elected officials control. "Never Underestimate the Voting Power of One" is demonstrated with a very powerful interactive exercise and mock election. Every student is given a ballot and asked to vote for First Selectman. The two candidates have positions that directly affect this particular constituency; one favors fast food in the cafeteria but wants to restrict access to the beach after dark. The other candidate takes the opposite position, no fast food but an open beach policy. Based on this information, all students in the room are asked to cast their ballot. LWV presenters then disenfranchise some of these potential voters by asking them to stand at the back of the room. The first cut represents immigrants who are eligible to become citizens but have not applied. The second cut eliminates the 30% of eligible voters who don't register. The third cut represents the 40% who are registered but who don't vote. Those left in their seats hand in their ballots and the vote is counted. Then the ballots of the disenfranchised are counted and the results of the election are compared. Often, the eliminated ballots, had they been counted, would have changed the outcome of the election. This exercise clearly shows the students how a relatively small percentage of the US population elects the public officials who make the laws and policies Americans live by. Students learn that voters have power. Some of the myths and mysteries of voting are clarified: No, you are not more likely to be called for jury duty if you register to vote. How and where do you vote when you go to college in a different town or state? (Students are given a card listing websites where an absentee ballot application can be downloaded.) Can I lose the right to vote? How do I vote? (A mock voting machine is used to demonstrate the process.) The LWV of Westport has presented Represent Yourself: The Power of One to more than 900 students in the past four years. Not only is it a great success with the students and teachers of Staples High School, it is a tremendously satisfying experience for LWV volunteers. At the conclusion of each presentation, students who have learned how important each one of them is to the strength of our democracy fill out voter registration applications. |
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| Maggie Feczko | |
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