First-time eligible high school students register to vote alongside LAUSD superintendent

EL SERENO, LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Friday was a day of celebration at Wilson High School in El Sereno where the school came together to witness the moment when first-time eligible students grabbed a pen and signed on the dotted line as they registered to vote.

"As a young person, I understand how stubborn we can be. But I believe that by convincing others like me to join me in registering to vote and making a change is very powerful," said Gilbert Hernandez a Wilson High student and a registered voter.

The Los Angeles Unified School district and the L.A. County Registrar's Office brought together students from schools across the eastside of L.A. to encourage them to exercise their right to vote. And as a new resident of the county, Superintendent Alberto Carvalho also registered to vote alongside students.

"The democratic process relies on participation. What better way to demonstrate than engaging our young students and getting them to register and getting them to the understand the political process," said Carvalho.

Clerk Dean Logan said the 18 to 25 age group has the lowest turnout when it comes to voting and they hope to change that by inspiring young adults to vote.

"We know demographically that the largest growing populations in L.A. County are those between the ages of 18 to 25 and those over 65. That means there's a great opportunity for this demographic to have a voice," said Logan.

And students that registered said they're not only doing it for them to have a voice but for others too.

"As a first-generation student and a Hispanic female, I think not a lot of people get the voice and they don't have the opportunity to really stand up, especially for people who have immigrant parents," said Hailey Patino, a Wilson High student and a registered voter.

The last day to register to vote online or by mail is Monday, May 23.

Click here to register.

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