FIRST TIMERS

I had the opportunity last week to help some students exercise their right to vote for the very first time.

One of the milestones of reaching adulthood and turning eighteen in the United States is being able to vote at election time. Our students are on campus nine months of the year so Flandreau Indian School is considered their permanent residence thus qualifying them to vote in our County.

We needed to research how to go about getting all registered who qualified. Registrations were made available in the Dorms for those who were over 18. Phone calls went back and forth between my office and the County Registrar’s office as they confirmed and verified information with the kids ahead of the October 22 deadline for signing up.

There was a great feeling of anticipation with these newly qualified voters as Election Day approached. Transportation was arranged and the voters were herded off to the polls. They took their responsibility very seriously, as they should, with many taking quite an extended period of time to complete their ballots.

You can see the expression on the faces in the photos of how excited and thrilled they all were to have been able to take part in this important election process for our country’s next President.