As Sakshi Sharma rings doorbells, drumming up support for her chosen candidates, she’s been met with smiles as well as slammed doors.
But it’s the people who shrug their shoulders who bother the Jackson High School senior the most.
“They say, ‘Oh, we’ll vote, but it’s not going to matter. What’s the point?’ ” the 16-year-old said. “I think that’s dumb. You have the opportunity to vote and you should get your voice heard.”
Sharma is among hundreds of local teenagers who are not old enough to mark a ballot on Tuesday but are helping their causes in other ways – doorbelling, waving signs on street corners, phone calling and handing out bumper stickers.
Class requirements spur the vast majority of the students.
Government teachers in Everett and other districts, including Snohomish, require seniors to put in anywhere from four to 25 hours on political campaigns as a learning opportunity.
“They’re getting their eyes open to the reality of politics and government, not just what they’re learning in a book and the classroom,” said Randy Ayers, government teacher at Everett High School.
In these last hours before a tight presidential election, local campaign organizers are happy to have the help.
“They’ve been tremendous,” said Frauna Hoglund, chairwoman of the Snohomish County Republican Party, where about 60 high-school students have come through the Everett headquarters the last few weeks. “They’re enthusiastic and fun to have around.”
The campaigning requirement for Everett seniors has been around for more than 20 years. Thanks to the program, the Snohomish County Democrats boasts the largest high-school operation in the state.
“It’s a wonderful program,” said Kirstin Brost, a spokeswoman for the state party.
But not all students pick a party.
“A lot of them aren’t into partisan politics right now. They’re not sure where they fall on the political spectrum,” said Tuck Gionet, government teacher at Snohomish High.
Cat Davis chose to support Initiative 297, which addresses cleanup of nuclear waste at the Hanford reservation.
“I didn’t really want to campaign for a person,” the 17-year-old Snohomish student said. This close to an election, “people aren’t going to change their minds. It’s like you can’t change someone’s religion.”
Indeed, the Bush-Kerry race for the presidency has not only divided adults.
“Everything is more heated, and I think the kids have stronger opinions,” said Mike Therrell, teacher at Cascade High School. “I worry much more on Nov. 3 they’re still going to have strong divisions.”
Teenagers say they’re not worried.
Brian Downie from Henry M. Jackson High School is volunteering for the Democrats this year. “One of my good friends is Republican, so we have a lot of arguments at lunch,” the 17-year-old said. “We’re still friends.”
And Matt Turner, 16, says he’s not getting spit on when he wears his “I Love Bush” sweatshirt.
“They kind of give me comments, but it’s not bad,” said the junior, who is campaigning for extra credit in his honors U.S. history course at Cascade High.
Teenagers say the volunteer work has opened their eyes.
Many commented on the amount of interest that exists around politics – a topic easily eclipsed by football games and fashion gossip in their worlds.
For Jonny Furoy, the world now looks two-sided.
“I was never into politics before this election. I never really cared about it. And it shocked me how many people are against the war in Iraq,” said the 17-year-old senior from Cascade.
“I’ve been raised in a home where we’re pretty much Republican, and we support the war. I’m not used to going out and talking about it.”
Now, he says, he’s enjoying promoting the candidates and causes he believes in.
The transformation is typical, said Gionet, the Snohomish teacher.
“A lot of them moan and groan about it to begin with, of course,” he said. “But some kids become literal political junkies after this. They can’t get enough.”
Darcy Bushnell, a senior from Everett High, was an early bloomer in that respect, starting with the Democrats in July.
“It seems to me like it’s probably going to be one of the defining elections of my lifetime,” the 17-year-old said.
“In the grand scheme of things, I know my vote isn’t huge. But I want to have a voice. … I can’t put my opinion down on a ballot. But I can share it with the people around me.”
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