Township students cast their votes at a polling station at the Washington Township Fire Department as part of Project Democracy.
By: Lauren Burgoon
WASHINGTON Civic responsibility starts early in Washington.
Mixed in among adults voting on the school budget and selecting school board members Tuesday were hundreds of township students voting on their own ballot question. The special voting was part of Project Democracy, a new initiative in the schools this year.
The idea is to reach students early and get them interested in the democratic process, especially at a time when the majority of Americans rarely exercise their right to vote except in bigger elections. To find proof of voter apathy, students had to look no further than their own town Tuesday’s adult voter turnout was typically low.
To combat that in the student vote, the school board’s Community Relations Committee, which organized Project Democracy, sent a letter home asking parents to take their children to the polls.
"Project Democracy is to help teach our students a civics lesson on how the democratic process works," said Carol Boyne, head of the Community Relations Committee. "Each school identified a specific issue and the kids went to the polling places to vote on it."
The issues all relate to everyday student life, making voting seem more relative to them, organizers are hoping. At Robbinsville High School, students were asked whether they should be required to wear RHS T-shirts and shorts to gym class to promote school spirit. Pond Road Middle School students weighed in on whether they should wear PRMS shirts or colors on Friday to encourage school spirit. Younger students at Sharon and Windsor schools decided whether they should get an extra 15 minutes of recess one day in May.
Washington students showed up Tuesday to cast their ballots at special voting booths set up especially for Project Democracy. The ballots were sealed and counted yesterday, after The Messenger-Press’ deadline, by the student council at each school.
Tuesday’s voting was only part of Project Democracy. In the weeks leading up to the vote, students set up camps on both sides of the issue. RHS students debated the ballot question in class and learned how to structure a convincing argument.
There was also a fierce propaganda campaign for each side. The high school’s hallway in the middle school building was lined with posters this week. Some urged students to embrace individuality and shun the gym uniforms. Poster slogans asked "Are we soldiers?" and "Uniforms or individuality? You be the judge."
Those were interspersed with pro-uniform posters that touted increased school spirit and a sense of community at RHS. "Fly with the crowd," one poster urged, while another said, "Gym class isn’t a time to make a fashion statement."
Project Democracy was sponsored by several community and school groups, including the education foundation, Rotary Club and school PTAs and PTSA.

