The ability to vote is a cornerstone of the United States government. It gives citizens the power to influence the decisions that are made about their lives. As such, the voting process has evolved over the years, leading to the current model for voting locations in high schools.
Before the modern era of high schools as popular voting locations, there were a wide range of places where people could cast their ballots. Small town halls were favorite places to vote, especially in rural areas. Some people even voted at their state capitol, or, in larger cities, at public courthouses. In some cases, ballots were cast in people’s homes or even taverns.
In the mid-1800s, a shift occurred. As urban centers grew, the voting process became increasingly complex. Some states began requiring voters to be registered in advance, or to show identity documents, something people in rural areas often lacked. As a result, larger, centralized locations like schools became more popular, as they could more easily handle the large numbers of voters.
It wasn’t until the 1940s that voting in schools began taking hold more widely. The post-WWII baby boom created a large population of people who were just coming of age, and this population necessitated a need for more efficient polling places. By using high schools, voting officials could accommodate large numbers of people without having to build additional polling places.
In the modern age, high schools are still one of the best (if not the only) places to vote. High schools tend to be large enough to accommodate large numbers of voters at once, yet still close enough to where most people can easily access them. In addition, they are secure, protected environments that give voters a sense of safety while they exercise their right to vote.
Although the voting locations have changed over the years, the importance of the right to vote remains the same. It is a key part of being a citizen of the United States, and the historical reasons for high schools as voting locations remind us of how much has changed since people first started voting in our democracy.
