With the Midterm elections approaching, the first time opportunity to vote for many Neuqua Valley seniors creeps closer. Any senior with a birthday before Nov. 8, has the chance to register and vote. The midterm elections are quite literally, mid-term. They are halfway through a single presidential term and often serve as a referendum of the party control in the country. Issues such as abortion rights, economical reforms, and gun control are some key issues that many politicians have campaigned on this midterm cycle. Neuqua Valley residents in DuPage and Will county, and Congressional Districts 11 and 14 will all have elections for their respective representatives. Incumbent democrats Bill Foster and Neuqua graduate Lauren Underwood will both be looking to defend their seats against Republican challengers Catalina Lauf and Scott Gryder. The U.S. Senate seat held by Tammy Duckworth and the Illinois governor’s office held by J.B. Pritzker will also be up for grabs. While those are the most impactful elections to Neuqua students, voters will see many more elections on their ballot, from local to national offices.

The realm of politics can confuse any student if they are not familiar with their candidates or the U.S. political system. However, in the age of readily available information, Neuqua Valley AP Government teacher Joe Brennan believes students should have all the information they need.

“Especially now with advances in technology and everything else, there is less room for people to say ‘I don’t know about different candidates’ because there is so much out there,” he explained.

Many students felt that concern of not knowing enough about their local politics, “I’m not involved in political news 24/7 but I will be doing research before I vote this upcoming November,” said fellow upcoming voter Burhan Sufi. “I don’t really follow political news closely other than the occasional headlines,” added senior Jacob Neal. While having the right to vote is a very important opportunity for citizens, being educated on the issues and candidates on the ballot will only help voters make the most of their voice.

Websites like Ballotpedia and Vote411 have easy access to information about any politician on a ballot and any stance they have on pressing issues. While being an educated voter is important, just getting out to vote is something Brennan pushes, “It’s very important so that politicians, government leaders know that students care and will get out and vote. It helps awareness for the students of different pressing issues and starts communication in terms of linking people to the government. By students participating, whether it’s meet & greets or actual elections, there’s records of involvement and interest in different topics.” In order to get students politically involved, Neuqua’s government program requires a minimum of 4 hours of local civic engagement. Whether it be attending campaign rallies, listening to city council meetings, or participating in town events, the 4 hours of civic engagement is a key part of the curriculum, “It raises awareness about a number of different opportunities or government institutions that are available.” said Brennan when asked about the importance of the required civic engagement hours. “Whether it’s between voting or getting involved like a civic engagement at a local level, whether it’s school board meetings, public comments, city council, county commissioners, there’s a lot of different things that impact your life that you have a say in.” He hopes students come away from Neuqua’s government classes with an understanding of the importance of being politically active.

The importance of voting is a strong motivator among Neuqua students. Although that message may seem watered down by how often it’s repeated from the media and political parties, its lesson still rings true. Regardless, Neuqua seniors are still exercising their voice, “I think voting is important because it gives regular people a feeling of impact on their communities, and it’s a right I’ve only recently been able to exercise. Having just turned 18, to me voting is one of those things that makes me feel significant, like I’m finally contributing to something,” stated Julie Ruggles, on her excitement to finally make an impact on her community. “This is my first time voting. I do plan on voting this year because I think it’s important that the more people vote, the more understanding we can get of what everyone’s thinking,” said Robbie Scarpaci. While it is his first time voting, Scarpaci acknowledges he has some research to do, “I took AP Government junior year… I feel like after taking the class I’m a much stronger voter, but I do think that I should always research both[any] candidates before voting.” The Neuqua curriculum informs students about current events and government processes but it’s ultimately up to the students to fully research their local politicians. “The information’s there.” Adds Brennan.

Many students felt the same sentiment of not knowing enough about their local politics, “I’m not involved in political news 24/7 but I will be doing research before I vote this upcoming November,” said fellow upcoming voter Burhan Sufi. “I don’t really follow political news closely other than the occasional headlines,” added senior Jacob Neal. While having the right to vote is a very important opportunity for citizens, being educated on the issues and candidates on the ballot will only help voters make the most of their vote.

As you read this you may think that many students are confident with their votes, but not every student holds the same attitude. With students who turn 18 before the midterm election also having the right to vote in the midterm primary elections this past spring, some students didn’t have a clear idea of their voting process, “I went into the election [midterm primaries] not knowing who I voted for, to be honest I put whoever’s name looked best. Of course that is not the best thing to do, however, it was the first election and once it gets to the actual midterm it is important to do your research, ” said Marco Rodriguez about his previous voting knowledge.

Increasing the involvement of young voters only improves the political outlook for the future. The teachers and faculty of the Neuqua government program understand the importance of having young voices heard and continue to push local political involvement through the upcoming midterms and beyond.