Kane County officials encourage 17-year-olds to vote

Some of the youngest voters to ever cast a ballot in Illinois will hit the polls in March, and Kane County officials began the registration process Wednesday in the halls of Batavia High School.

A new state law will allow most 17-year-old residents to vote in the March 18 primary as long as they register to vote and turn 18 on or before the Nov. 4 general election.  

Kane County Clerk Jack Cunningham attempted to seize the chance to increase what has been historically low voter turnout in recent years by setting up a registration table in the main hallway of the high school. The setup is similar to 21 Election Day polling places in various Kane County schools.  

The day started with a briefing on how to register to vote and use electronic voting machines. Cunningham had originally planned to demonstrate the process in person, but he missed the event because of an illness. Instead, officials from the clerk's office played an eight-minute video of Cunningham urging the students to vote.

“You are going to be given a chance to participate in a basic pillar of our American democracy, and that is the right to vote,” Cunningham said.  

The video explained two forms of identification with current name and address are required to register. A short process results in a paper receipt the 17-year-old can display at his or her polling place if any questions arise about valid registration.  

Kane County Sheriff Pat Perez also was there to show support for increased security at schools with polling places. Cunningham joined Perez and local police chiefs last year to make sure sheriff's deputies or police officers from local departments were at each of the school polling places to add security in the wake of the Sandy Hook school shooting.

“It really wasn't as much of a concern before the Sandy Hook shooting, but that just kind of put everybody on high alert,” Perez said. “I think you'll see this continue from here on out. It just has to be this way now.” 

The bell to signal the short transition time between school periods sounded just after Cunningham's presentation.

The group of about 50 students watching rushed off to their next class, and no one immediately went through the voter registration process. Officials from the clerk's office planned to stay at the school until 1:15 p.m. to register as many 17-year-old students as possible.