Students in area schools are encouraged to participate in aprogram sponsored by the secretary of state’s office to promotevoting among young people.

The Student Poll Worker Program was established by the stateLegislature in 2002 to encourage high school juniors and seniors toparticipate in the election process by becoming poll workers onNov. 2 for the presidential race and other campaigns.

The program is co-sponsored by the state Department ofEducation, Mississippi Counselor’s Association and the PublicEducation Foundation.

District One Election Commissioner John Hightower said twostudents would be placed at each of the county’s 32 votingprecincts. In the event they receive more than 64 volunteers,students would work in shifts.

“We will use as many as we can get,” he said. “This is a goodprogram for students because they can learn about politics and getgood knowledge about how the election process works.”

Interest in the program has been slow to develop here with only12 Brookhaven High students committed to working the polls so far,Hightower said.

“They’ve got a lot of participation in the northern counties,but those 12 are all we have here so far,” Hightower said. “I’mhoping for a good turnout because it will be a good experience forthem.”

Susan Chapman, BHS principal, said three others have expressedtheir intent but were still going through the approval process.Participants must have permission from their parents and a letterof recommendation from the principal on file at the secretary ofstate’s office to join the program.

“There could be more,” she said. “These are students who takingour U.S. government class. This gives them an opportunity to makesure they always go to vote. It’s a privilege and a right to go outand cast a ballot. It can only be a very positive experience forthese kids.”

Students participating in the program are required to attend apoll workers workshop Oct. 25 with others hired to manage theprecincts. A second workshop will be held Oct. 26 for the otherpoll workers. Both meetings are open to the public and Hightowerencouraged anyone interested in the electoral process to attendeither session.

Terry Brister, superintendent of the Lincoln County SchoolDistrict, said he supported the program and was encouraging hisstudents to participate.

“I feel like the children need to understand about the votingprocess,” he said. “Statewide and nationally, the number of voterswho are turning out (on election day) is declining. I think this isa good way to try to get the young people to understand theimportance of participating in the voting process.”

Brister said he believes a number of students in his districtwill participate, but he was not sure how many were needed. Heintended to consult with Hightower today to see how many theelection commissioner felt he needed to students at each of thevoting precincts.

Brookhaven Academy was not participating in the program Tuesday,but Headmaster Dr. Miller Hammill said he hoped to change that.

“We’re not participating because at this time we have notreceived any information on it,” he said. “We are interested, andwe’ll begin looking into it today.”