Beyond the Ballot

For many young people, voting for the first time can feel intimidating. At Henry Ford II High School, students had the opportunity to become more familiar with the voting process through a hands-on experience designed to help prepare them for civic participation. 

Henry Ford II Teacher Christina Versele invited a nonpartisan voter-registration organization to work with students. The group has visited Henry Ford II during the past two springs to help eligible students register to vote and will return in both October and April. 

“Our Time” was among the organizations that helped make the school’s recent voting simulation possible. During lunch on September 17th, representatives from Our Time, the League of Women Voters and the Macomb County Clerk’s Office joined HFII students to provide an authentic look at the voting process. 

Students were able to use actual voting machines and tabulators, which allowed students to experience what it is like to cast a ballot and see how votes are processed. 

“Being able to do the voting simulation was very helpful, and it gave me insight on what real voting looks like,” Henry Ford II junior Aviana Bradford said. “I think it is important for students to learn how to vote, so they are not confused when it becomes time for them to participate in their first real election.” 

The following day, Friday, September 18, representatives from the League of Women Voters and the Macomb County Clerk’s Office presented to government students, providing additional information about voting and the election process. The goal was not simply to teach students about voting, but to help remove some of the uncertainty surrounding their first time at the polls. 

“Many people don't vote because they are intimidated by the process,” Versele Explained. “So, we wanted to give our students an opportunity to use actual voting machines and tabulators so they will be more likely to get involved in elections when they are old enough to vote.” 

This voting experience gave students more than an introduction to voting machines. It provided an opportunity to connect classroom learning with a real-world civic process and helped students understand how they can participate in their communities as they become young adults.