Every other year, the Akins Austin Corps program runs a voter registration drive on campus to help students over the hurdles of the voter registration process so they can exercise their civic duty on Election Day.

Social studies teacher Natalie Fontenot, who runs the Austin Corps program, coordinated the voter registration event on Sept. 17, which was National Voter Registration Day. About 50 students and staff members completed the paperwork to become a registered voter in time to vote in the Nov. 5 elections.

Texas does not have automatic or online voter registration, requiring potential voters to fill out a mail-in form or handing in their paper voter registration forms to a volunteer deputy registrars.

Fontenot said learning how to register to vote at school will help ease the process of voting becoming a regular practice.

“I didn’t witness my parents, or older siblings register to vote or go anywhere to vote. If you don’t grow up with it, I think it makes it more difficult to incorporate it into your adult life.” she said.  “Practicing this or practicing any type of civic engagement in school is part of learning how to be a responsible adult. I think education is also about learning how to be a responsible citizen and resident of community. We are the ones who ultimately create the world we live in.”

The last day to register to vote in the November election is October 7th.