Debra Bowen for California Secretary of State - Students lobby for bill aiding poll work

Students lobby for bill aiding poll work

Contra Costa Times
Sep 27, 2006
By Elisabeth Nardi Not yet old enough to vote, these high school students can definitely lobby. A group of about 15 students at Acalanes High School have been lobbying Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and trying to get the word out to constituents about SB1193, a bill that would prevent schools from losing daily attendance funding when students work at the polls. Currently if a student is absent, no matter the reason, schools lose money per student per day. In the Acalanes district, it is $35 per student per day, which added up to $1,300 in the last election. Davina Inga, an Acalanes senior who is lobbying for the bill, said she thinks working at the polling place will help her learn the ins and outs of voting. "When you turn 18 you are able to register and you go to your polling place, but you are kind of clueless about the whole thing," she said. "When you work there and have to explain how to vote to other people, you actually become an expert on voting." Sponsored by Sen. Debra Bowen, D-Redondo Beach, the bill is sitting on Schwarzenegger's desk waiting to be signed. Two years ago, the governor vetoed a similar bill, also written by Acalanes students. The bill must be signed by Saturday or it will expire and automatically become law. The cause has been a long battle for Acalanes High seniors. For the past three years, the incoming class of seniors, who take the school's government course, has taken over where the previous year's seniors left off. Last year's class got the Senate bill sponsored but graduated before it went to the governor. It is more than a civics lesson for the students. They earn $75 for working a full day at a polling place. "We heard of school districts that don't allow their students to work (at the polls) because of the cost. It seems like a completely missed opportunity," said Sarah Neighbor, a senior at Acalanes and a supporter of the bill. A spokesman for the governor said Schwarzenegger has not yet made a decision on the bill. But the governor did make his decision clear two years ago when he vetoed a similar bill. "While civic and other volunteer activities can offer many educational opportunities to students, these activities should be in addition to, and not in place of, valuable classroom learning time with a teacher," Schwarzenegger wrote in his dissent. Acalanes students argue what's learned by working at the polls can' t be taught. "There are certain things you cannot learn in a classroom," Neighbor said. "Statistics of voting are really low, especially among young people. This is a good solution to encourage voting, and it becomes a meaningful experience." Regardless of what the governor decides, Neighbor and about 30 of her fellow classmates plan on working at polling places Nov. 7. Students willing to work at the polls are a help in Contra Costa County, where there are 338 polling places and every year a shortage of workers, said Kathy Gover, election process supervisor for the county. The county relies on student workers "heavily," with more than 75 students on average who work as clerks, Gover said. Link to article

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