EL MONTE – The El Monte Union High School District is supporting the state’s High School Voter Education Week by promoting civic engagement and education at its schools, which will serve as early voter registration sites for 16- and 17-year-old students in September.

The Board of Trustees passed a resolution earlier this year declaring Sept. 17-28, 2018 as EMUHSD High School Voter Education Week, during which time students can pre-register to vote on their high school campus and automatically become active voters once they turn 18.

“Youth play a critical role in our democracy by helping to choose our local, state and federal leaders and by voicing their opinions on the issues that are important to them,” Superintendent Dr. Edward Zuniga said. “By encouraging our students to exercise their civic duty and become part of the electorate, we are seeing our students make the conscious decision to help shape their community and country.”

Under Assembly Bill 1817, passed in 2014, High School Voter Education Week will take place every year during the last two full weeks of April and September. Students can be appointed to serve as voter outreach coordinators and coordinate election-related activities, such as voter registration drives, mock elections, debates and other outreach activities.

During the two weeks, voter registration information will be provided to all eligible high school seniors and they will be encouraged to complete and submit forms to the Los Angeles County Registrar Recorder/County Clerk’s Office. Voter registration guides and materials in various languages will be made available at the high schools and adult school.

El Monte Union has partnered with advocacy group OCA-Greater Los Angeles to provide voter registration support and training to select student leaders who will promote civic engagement in the schools and classrooms. Members of the Student Advisory Council will coordinate activities for each site.

To vote in California elections, citizens must be registered to vote 15 days before an election takes place. The California voter registration deadline to participate in the Nov. 6 midterm elections is Oct. 23.