At a virtual awards ceremony this week, Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson and State Superintendent Dr. Michael Rice announced that 11 Michigan high schools received special commendation for exceptional participation in the Spring 2022 MI Vote Matters High School Voter Registration Challenge. In total, 92 high schools took part in the program, registering 2,252 eligible students to vote statewide.
The MI Vote Matters challenge was launched by Benson with support from nonpartisan partners to encourage high school students across Michigan to learn about their right to vote through civic education and nonpartisan voter registration drives. The Fall 2022 MI Vote Matters Challenge begins today and will run through the end of the school year.
"When young people are empowered as voters, they make our democracy stronger,” said Secretary Benson. “Congratulations and thank you to all the participants – the students preparing to be active players in our democracy, and the schools fostering civic engagement in Michigan’s youth. We are excited to launch the Fall 2002 MI Vote Matters Challenge and encourage even more students across the state to make their voices heard at the polls this November.”
“Voting is a right and indeed a responsibility, one for which generations of Americans have fought during our history,” said State Superintendent Dr. Michael Rice, “Thank you, and congratulations to the award winners and the high schools that participated in the spring 2022 challenge. I know that we can increase the number of eligible students registering to vote this fall, to have their voices heard and included in our nation’s democracy.”
The following 11 schools were recognized for their high registration or pre-registration rates of eligible high school seniors in the spring of 2022:
| Award |
High school |
% registered |
Reg/Pledge2Vote |
Bronze
|
Clara B. Ford Academy (Dearborn Heights) |
67% |
6 |
Bronze
|
Onekama Consolidated Schools |
72% |
13 |
| Bronze |
Charlevoix Middle/High School
|
68%
|
50 |
Bronze
|
Merrill High School
|
56%
|
22 |
Bronze & Platinum
|
Lakeview High School (Battle Creek)
|
73%
|
193 |
Silver
|
Summerfield Jr/Sr High School (Petersburg)
|
82%
|
31 |
Gold
|
Valley Lutheran High School (Saginaw)
|
93%
|
68 |
Platinum
|
Fenton Area Public Schools
|
38%
|
100 |
Platinum
|
L’Anse Creuse High School North (Macomb)
|
38%
|
171
|
Platinum
|
Traverse City West Senior High
|
38%
|
153 |
As part of the MI Vote Matters program, eligible students who registered or pre-registered to vote submitted a pledge to vote card to the program for their registration to count toward their school's participation numbers. Under Michigan law, 17.5-year-olds who will be 18 years old on Election Day are permitted to pre-register to vote.
Spring 2022 awards categories were determined by percentage: Platinum denoting more than 100 total students registered to vote, Gold denoting 90% and above, Silver 70% and above, and Bronze 50% and above. Submissions for Spring 2022 concluded June 30.
Nonpartisan organizations partnering with the Michigan Department of State for the MI Vote Matters Challenge include: Insprire2Vote, a program of Project High Hopes; League of Women Voters of Michigan; Michigan Center for Civic Education; and When We All Vote; an initiative within Civic Nation.
More information on the program can be found at Michigan.gov/MIVoteMatters.
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