By Haley Mitchell Godwin

Crenshaw County Probate Judge Will Tate, along with Emergency Management Agency (EMA) Director and Custodian of Elections Elliott Jones, recently visited all high schools across the county for a special election education program, “Your Voice, Your Vote.” The initiative aimed to teach juniors and seniors about the voting process, election laws and the importance of civic participation.

The program provided students with essential knowledge about how elections work and gave them the opportunity to register to vote. Students also participated in a mock election using real ballots and voting machines — the same ones used in official elections. 

The effort was designed to prepare them for their first time casting a ballot. Tate said the idea for the program was inspired by concerns from the Board of Registrars.

“It was brought to my attention by our Board of Registrars that some students showed up to vote on Election Day thinking they were registered, but they were not,” Tate said. “The registrars asked if we could go to the schools and register the students. I thought that was a wonderful idea, so I started looking into what I could do to engage the students beyond just registering to vote.” 

Tate said he reached out to Election Systems & Software (ES&S), Alabama’s election vendor, and the company provided a mock election setup at no cost. 

Since Tate took office in 2015, Crenshaw County has maintained an average voter turnout of 56.6%, with a high of 63% in 2016 and a low of 44% in 2022. One of Tate’s goals with “Your Voice, Your Vote” was to increase voter participation in future elections.

“In Crenshaw County, we are blessed with wonderful election workers who make the process run smoothly,” Tate said. “Because of them, we haven’t experienced any major challenges, even though we are a rural county.”

Jones emphasized the importance of educating young voters.

“Empowering our youth to participate in the election process is not just about casting a vote; it’s about shaping the future,” Jones said. “When high school juniors and seniors engage in mock voting, they learn that their voices matter in our democracy, both locally and nationally. Every vote is a step toward the change they wish to see.”

Crenshaw County District Judge John M. Folmar, echoed this sentiment, encouraging students to take an active role in democracy.

 “It was my pleasure and honor to speak to the students,” Folmar said. It is an extremely important part of our duty as citizens, to vote and become involved in the political process.”

For many students, the effort was their first real exposure to the voting process. Some will be voting in the next election, while others are preparing for their future participation.

Brantley High School senior Myia Mount shared her thoughts on the experience.

“I feel like what they taught us here, and the sample ballot we’re about to do right now, is pretty much the same as what I saw at the polls.”

Tate reminded students that voting is one of the most powerful ways they can make a difference in their communities and beyond.

“I told them that if there was one thing I wanted them to remember, it was that their voice matters, their opinions are important, and they have a right to be heard,” he said.

He also stressed the importance of making informed decisions at the polls.

Tate credited Haley Kilcrease for organizing the program with local schools and for coming up with the “Your Voice, Your Vote” name. He also praised the Board of Registrars — Kayle Sport, Susan Walden and Donna McDougald — for their dedication to ensuring smooth elections and thanked them for having a presence at each program.

Additionally, he thanked Jones and Randy Mahone for their unwavering support in election-related efforts.

“Civic engagement starts here — thank you to everyone who helped make this event a success,” Tate said.