Elections, at their core, have a simple fundamental principle: Everyone who wants to and is eligible casts a ballot, and whoever gets the most votes wins. Seems like an agreeable system, right? Well, after Thursday’s Hamilton County Board of Education meeting, it seems certain Republicans object — specifically when it comes to the “everyone” part.
At the meeting, the school district said it would allow public high schools across the county to bus students, who are registered to vote, to polling locations to cast a ballot during early voting, which runs from Wednesday to Oct. 31.
By any reasonable measure, this seems like a sensible and inoffensive thing to do. What’s wrong with helping students honor their civic duty? What’s wrong with giving a first-time voter a ride to vote in what could be one of the most consequential elections in modern history?
For a reason that should be obvious to anyone paying attention, first-term school board member Jodi Schaffer, R-East Brainerd, thinks there’s something wrong.
“Like it or not, there is undue influence by our professionals, especially in this type of partisan atmosphere,” she said at the meeting. “You don’t live under a rock. This is a very controversial election, and we need to be cautious in how we influence young adults.”