High school students ace early voting program

High school students made voting history in suburban Cook County, and they did it in a single day.

Through the clerk’s new "Defenders of DA'mocracy" High School Early Voting Program, student-run early voting sites inside 24 suburban high schools recorded 1,136 ballots cast on Feb. 26. To put that in perspective, that single-day total surpassed the 1,021 ballots cast during the first seven days of early voting at our initial countywide locations.

This is more than a milestone — it is proof that when we bring civic engagement directly to young people, they respond.

Developed in partnership with the Chicago Bears, this first-of-its-kind initiative placed fully operational early voting sites inside participating high schools. More than 125 trained and certified student election judges administered official polling locations under the supervision of the Cook County clerk’s office. They handled voter check-in, secured ballots, operated voting equipment and followed the same strict chain-of-custody and security protocols used at every polling place across suburban Cook County.

This was not a simulation. It was democracy in action.

Research shows that when young people participate in their first eligible election, they are far more likely to remain engaged for years to come. By bringing early voting directly into high schools, we are removing barriers, building confidence and fostering lifelong civic participation at a formative moment.

The energy inside these schools was inspiring. Students were not only casting ballots, they were also leading, administering and safeguarding the democratic process. That is an investment in the future of our community that will pay dividends for years to come.

Expanded early voting continues across suburban Cook County, with 55 locations open ahead of Tuesday's gubernatorial primary election. I encourage all eligible voters to take advantage of this opportunity and make their voices heard.

Democracy is strongest when participation is broad, inclusive and accessible — and our students have shown us exactly what that looks like.

Monica Gordon, Cook County clerk

Energy engagement

Thank you for the two articles on important energy issues in the March 6 Sun-Times. The article by Amy Yee — "Chicago-based construction firm Clayco launches solar energy business" — underlines the need for vastly more use of solar, as well as wind and geothermal power — all alternative power sources.

But another article in the same paper — "For alternative energy supplier customers who routinely overpay, proposed reforms could provide some help" — confuses the issue by calling some different providers "alternatives" to the traditional suppliers. These different providers including North American Power, may or may not supply energy from alternative sources. The difference is important, because alternative sources can provide energy without climate change, and for less.

Ann Boisclair, Glen Ellyn