“All eyes are on the Lehigh Valley,” Pennsylvania State Representative Peter Schweyer said.
In an increasingly close election centering on Pennsylvania, voter turnout has been more crucial than ever for both Kamala Harris and Donald Trump. Students in the Lehigh Valley and nationwide, even nonvoting ones, are contributing to the race whether through campaigning or nonpartisan action.
For the first time, Emmaus High School has implemented a Student Poll Worker Program, aiming to boost civic engagement amongst the younger generation and increase voter turnout in future elections. This program allows students to serve as poll workers, offering them firsthand experience in the electoral process. By involving high schoolers in this aspect of democracy, the program seeks to inspire greater interest in voting and public service.
Deanne Portz and Amy Zazo advise the Young Democrats Club and pushed the Student Poll Worker Program into effect at EHS.
“The nice thing about the Student Poll Worker Program is that you need to be 17, but they’ve actually done studies [on the program] that students who are involved in the poll worker program are much more likely to vote and actively participate in the voting process throughout their life,” Deanne Portz said. “So getting them started in that civic duty, and being politically active at that younger age kind of gets them engaged and on a good path forward.”
Sarah Lorenzo, an EHS senior and the president of the Activism Club, worked to bring the Student Poll Program to the Activism Club at Emmaus.
“I appreciate that we are involved in the poll worker program because being a part of Activism Club — [it’s] non-partisan. We’re just playing a neutral stance, and that is what you do as a poll worker. So it is a good example [for] activism members to get involved in that,” Lorenzo said.
While not many high school students are eligible to vote in the election, those who can are encouraged by all parties to do so, bringing a new generation of ideas to the table.
“Engaging in that civic duty, it’s just an exciting way to be involved even if they’re not quite of voting age,” Deanne Portz said. “But just anticipating that, especially this year, with it being such a contentious election, people are talking about it. Everybody seems to have a strong opinion one way or the other.”
Lehigh County is a swing county within Pennsylvania, which is a swing state — meaning a focal point for political campaigns seeking to tip the scales in their favor. Due to both candidates potential of winning over this type of state, political parties often spend a lot of time and campaign resources on winning these states.
Senior Jackson Kreiner, who is President of EHS Young Democrats as well as a poll worker, discusses his experience of being in a swing state.
“It makes every vote count just a little bit more. In a county where you’re driving around and you see a sign for one candidate, and the house across the street has the sign for another candidate, it should show people that they need to get out and vote,” Kreiner said.
As political tensions rise in Lehigh County as well as in the nation, they have morphed into a critical battleground in Pennsylvania’s political landscape, earning a reputation as a swing county in one of the nation’s most contested swing states.
Pennsylvania, Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina and Wisconsin are all labeled as swing states.
As one of these influential states, Pennsylvania will once again play a decisive role in determining the outcome of the 2024 presidential election with 19 electoral votes this year, alongside the state’s diverse electorate — ranging from urban voters in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh to rural and suburban communities. Candidates will battle aggressively to win over the state and get one step closer to the White House.
“We have a very, very real obligation to the Lehigh Valley, to play our role. We are in the most important region of the most important state,” Schweyer said. “We have a responsibility to that, and we have to get up and vote. What happens in the valley will very much [influence], if not dictate, what happens not only in Pennsylvania but decides what happens in the entire United States.”
Younger generations hold the key to shaping the future, and their participation in elections is crucial for addressing issues that will impact them the most.
Senior Anna Chavolla, a Young Democrats member, noted how unique the opportunity is, and how it can be a learning experience.
“It’s really important for young people to start learning about politics and how their country works because we’re one day going to inherit it,” Chavolla said. “So the sooner you start, the better and it’s also a chance to apply what you’re learning in class, if you’re taking government or any social studies class, really, [in the] real world, and in your real life.
Senior, Scott Gatter, shares his thoughts on student involvement in the political process.
“I think that it’s important for every student to exercise their civil liberties,” Gatter said. “If we want to create a better world, we have to get involved and it doesn’t matter how young or old you are.”
