By Staff Reports
Published March 6th 2007 in The Montgomery Herald
FAYETTEVILLE — Fayette County Clerk Kelvin Holliday and his staff has kicked off the 2007 high school voter registration program for the county. The program started yesterday with a visit to Fayetteville High School. Holliday said 2007 graduates will be covered in this spring’s schedule, while 2008 grads will be visited in the fall.
The schedule was announced jointly with School Superintendent Chris Perkins. All visits to high schools will be at morning times to be arranged with the respective schools’ principals. Registration sessions at Fayette County’s high schools will focus on senior class students, but are open to anyone at the school age 18 or otherwise eligible to vote at the following ensuing election, Holliday said before praising the county’s students for their participation.
“Fayette County’s 2005-06 senior classes were the first known in county history to have 100 percent of the senior-eligible class members to register at the respective schools, with Oak Hill’s 100 percent a first in school history,” he said. “We will make every effort to duplicate those numbers, but I am doubtful the West Virginia Secretary of State’s office can participate in all school programs as in recent years.”
The remaining schedule for spring visits is as follows:
- March 13 — Oak Hill High;
- March 20 — Mount Hope High;
- March 27 — Valley High;
- April 17 — Midland Trail High; and
- April 24 — Meadow Bridge High.
The fall schedule is:
- Sept. 11 — Fayetteville High;
- Sept. 18 — Oak Hill High;
- Sept. 25 — Mount Hope High;
- Oct. 2 — Valley High;
- Oct. 9 — Midland Trail High; and
- Oct. 16 — Meadow Bridge High.
A handful of seniors will be designated to assist at each school and will be awarded VIP (Voting is Powerful) certificates as a sign of gratitude by the W.Va. Secretary of State’s office. All new voters attending will enjoy a video on voting, a background on the history of the 18-year-olds’ voting legislation and also a question-and-answer session as time permits.
“After a great nationwide interest in the presidential elections of 2000 and 2004, it is evident that voter education and emphasizing the importance of each vote is more important than ever,” Holliday said. “The key part then hopefully follows as students actually vote if parents and other mentors properly follow up.” Points important for all new registrants to remember include:
- Provide proper identification, preferably a driver’s license;
- Know residence address or area description, especially if different from mailing address; and
- Ask someone at home or a neighbor living close to them their precinct number or where they vote if precinct assignment questions arise.
Given a delay or closing on a scheduled day, sessions at the schools will be rescheduled for the second day following the originally scheduled date, if available.
The schedule was announced jointly with School Superintendent Chris Perkins. All visits to high schools will be at morning times to be arranged with the respective schools’ principals. Registration sessions at Fayette County’s high schools will focus on senior class students, but are open to anyone at the school age 18 or otherwise eligible to vote at the following ensuing election, Holliday said before praising the county’s students for their participation.
“Fayette County’s 2005-06 senior classes were the first known in county history to have 100 percent of the senior-eligible class members to register at the respective schools, with Oak Hill’s 100 percent a first in school history,” he said. “We will make every effort to duplicate those numbers, but I am doubtful the West Virginia Secretary of State’s office can participate in all school programs as in recent years.”
The remaining schedule for spring visits is as follows:
- March 13 — Oak Hill High;
- March 20 — Mount Hope High;
- March 27 — Valley High;
- April 17 — Midland Trail High; and
- April 24 — Meadow Bridge High.
The fall schedule is:
- Sept. 11 — Fayetteville High;
- Sept. 18 — Oak Hill High;
- Sept. 25 — Mount Hope High;
- Oct. 2 — Valley High;
- Oct. 9 — Midland Trail High; and
- Oct. 16 — Meadow Bridge High.
A handful of seniors will be designated to assist at each school and will be awarded VIP (Voting is Powerful) certificates as a sign of gratitude by the W.Va. Secretary of State’s office. All new voters attending will enjoy a video on voting, a background on the history of the 18-year-olds’ voting legislation and also a question-and-answer session as time permits.
“After a great nationwide interest in the presidential elections of 2000 and 2004, it is evident that voter education and emphasizing the importance of each vote is more important than ever,” Holliday said. “The key part then hopefully follows as students actually vote if parents and other mentors properly follow up.” Points important for all new registrants to remember include:
- Provide proper identification, preferably a driver’s license;
- Know residence address or area description, especially if different from mailing address; and
- Ask someone at home or a neighbor living close to them their precinct number or where they vote if precinct assignment questions arise.
Given a delay or closing on a scheduled day, sessions at the schools will be rescheduled for the second day following the originally scheduled date, if available.