Shore Regional Students Help Community Get Ready to Vote

Shore Regional High School students are doing their part to ensure that everybody in the community exercises their right to vote. 

Through Wednesday, April 27, the day of the school elections, seniors from the school's student council, National Honor Society and AP classes will set up shop in the main entrance of the school. They will be asking those who enter the school if they are registered to vote, and if they are not, they can help people do so.

"We're trying to get people to vote, not vote for or against the school budget," senior Connor Arnette, 17, of Monmouth Beach said. "We're just out to make people aware."

The students have been doing this since April 4, and at least two of them will be at the front of the school from 7:25 a.m. to 2:15 p.m. through April 27.

Connor said some people come in to the school and say they are not sure if they are registered to vote. The students can then check to see to see whether or not the visitors  are registered to vote through the Division of Elections web site.

The students have a laptop which is connected to a large TV screen so the visitors can see the information displayed. 

Students can also show people the local polling locations throughout Shore Regional's four sending districts; West Long Branch, Monmouth Beach, Sea Bright and Oceanport. They can also search for other polling locations if the visitor is not from one of the sending districts. 

If people would like to vote on April 27, and missed the April 6 deadline, the students also have absentee ballots for visitors.

Connor said volunteering for a service such this gives him a satisfying feeling.

"You get a sense of accomplishment when you help someone and you feel like you are making a difference," Connor said.