Cook County Clerk Monica Gordon recently visited Oak Park and River Forest High School, where she engaged with student election judges at an early voting event. This initiative is part of a broader effort to transform suburban high schools into early voting sites, benefiting eligible students and faculty within Cook County as they participate in the upcoming November 3 midterm election.
During her visit, Gordon expressed gratitude to the student election judges, emphasizing their role in fostering the next generation of voters. She aims to redefine the term “teen takeover” in a positive light by highlighting the contributions of these students. “I wanted to come out and thank the election judges because we can’t do this without them,” Gordon remarked. “Seeing students serve as election judges and vote in the election is amazing to me.”
Among the participating student election judges was Elliott Mayeda, a junior at the school, who saw the event as both a learning experience and an extension of his civics education. Mayeda views voting as a civic duty and said, “It’s hard for people to fight for change if they’re not going to step up and do their part and vote for who they believe in.”
Olivia Smith, another student judge, expressed her longstanding interest in the election process, even though she cannot vote yet. Smith remarked that she found the opportunity “cool.” Senior Emerson Carizey, excited to cast her vote, said, “Voting is a way to be part of your community and contribute back to the public.” Carizey participated with assistance from fellow election judge Clarabella Croisant, who was determined to register as many eligible friends as possible.
The Teen Takeover for Democracy program, established in partnership with the Chicago Bears, allows students to actively participate by checking in voters, issuing ballots, and overseeing the voting process. The program first launched during the primary elections in March.
For Gordon, witnessing young people’s involvement in the voting process is encouraging. She believes engaging students at an early age fosters trust in the electoral system that will endure. Reflecting on this initiative, Gordon said, “This is what keeps me up at night — wondering how do we create that bridge between the next generation and civic engagement, and this is it.”
Gordon hopes these events help young people connect with the historic fights for human rights, including voting rights. “Seeing this gives me so much hope, so much hope that they’re in good hands.”
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