Students who have recently turned 18 this year will have the chance to vote for their choice of who the next president of the United States will be — if they register to vote before the deadline.

Voting isn’t as simple as walking up to a ballot box and writing your name, maybe punching out a card, or even checking a box.

These days citizens must register to vote before a deadline for the Secretary of State to certify the voter rolls. This year, the deadline to register to vote in Texas’s March 1 primary is Feb. 1.

To make the process quick and easy for students SEL teacher Jack McGavick is inviting students to see him in RM 149 before or after school to register to vote. McGavick is a Volunteer Deputy Registrar and can officially help students register to vote.

McGavick’s room is located just outside the entrance to the STEM building, right across from the College and Careers Center. The registration process can take as little as five minutes.

Many teenagers don’t vote for a variety of different reasons. Many just assume their vote wont count, or wont make a difference, but this couldn’t be farther from the truth. According to Civicyouth.org, only 19.9 percent of 18 to 29 year olds voted in 2014. This group includes 46 million people, while seniors have approximately 39 million eligible voters, giving youth an edge in controlling the popular vote.

Students can register to vote online here at the Secretary of State’s webpage.

Texas Voterreg by The Eagle’s Eye