East LA students cast early ballots

East LA students, including myself, went to the Norwalk County Registrar’s Office to cast an early ballot, learn about voting and why it matters and to also help students under 18 pre-register to vote on October 26.

I learned why voting really matters. It has a large impact in our community because every vote a proposition or a candidate gets affects us either in a good way or a bad way. The most important thing I learned though was that our vote matters as well as our voice. As much as we help contribute to our community determines what happens in it. We, the youth, are the future so we must vote — it matters.

At this event with Power California I learned about all of the 12 propositions and the candidates. During this event the people from Power California let all the students who were 18 vote. The students who weren’t 18, including myself, got to do mock elections. So, we basically voted as well, it’s just that our vote doesn’t quite count yet.

This event was fun, they provided food for us and they had carnival games with prizes and trucks with video games such as a WII and a play station. Power 106 FM was also there and they made it very fun. We also had many dance battles throughout this event which was very funny. They also gave us shirts that said “ready to vote.”

There was also many guest speakers telling us about how when they were our age they didn’t know how to vote or what they were voting for so that we won’t go through the same thing.