Belmont County Republican Party, Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose Eye Younger Voters
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At least 25 high school students turned out for the Belmont County Republican Party's Lincoln Day Dinner Thursday in St. Clairsville, and Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose registered three 18-year-olds to vote while there.
LaRose served as keynote speaker for the dinner, which took place at Undo's West in St. Clairsville. There were about 130 people paying to attend the party fundraiser, according to party chairman David Jones.
But to attract young people to the dinner and expose them to politics and the Republican Party, Belmont County officials provided free entry to those under the age of 25. About 25 students coming from Union Local, Barnesville and Martins Ferry high schools attended the event.
Nick Saffield, a teacher of American history and contemporary issues, accompanied the group from Barnesville High School.
"I'm just trying to get them more involved," he said. "They need to hear both sides as they are just getting aware of what is going on in the world. Some are generally interested, and we talk about it."
Union Local students present were members of the Junior Statesmen of America Club.
Club president Jayden Bom said she appreciates politics, and even got to serve as honorary mayor of Belmont for a day last summer. Still, she doesn't see herself going into politics.
"I considered it, but my love of math took over," she said. Bom has plans to go on to be an aerospace engineer.
Also attending from Union Local was Rebekah Large, who said she was just continuing her family's tradition in politics. Her grandfather is former Ohio Sen. Jim Carnes, R-Ohio, who was also at the dinner. LaRose visited each of the tables of the youths at the start of the dinner, asking if any of them were registered to vote. He had with him voter registration applications, and gave them to the seniors so they can be registered in time for next year's election. He told them he would forward the applications to the Belmont County Board of Elections.
There have recent calls in the U.S. Congress to allow youths as young as 16 to vote, but LaRose said he isn't certain that's the way to go.
"I hear that idea every now and then. It's kind of a novel thing," he said. "It would be a change that would have to happen state-by-state by a constitutional amendment.
"What I want to focus on is getting all the 17- and 18-year-olds registered to vote, and getting them involved."
The Belmont County Republican Party celebrated Thursday their achievement of now having Republicans serving in most elected county offices -- including all three commission seats.
Registered Republicans also now outnumber Democrats in Belmont County, previously a Democratic stronghold. The Belmont County Board of Elections reports there are 45,296 registered voters in the county, with more than half being Independent, non-affiliated or third-party voters. The rolls show 10,450 Republicans in the county, and 8,922 Democrats.