Eisenhower High School senior Justin Doutre registers to vote for his first presidential election. Source photo by Chris Williams

The event, held less than a week before voter registration deadlines, was an opportunity for students to register for their first-ever election, hear more about the issues surrounding presidential candidates Barack Obama and John McCain, and also learn about how they can get involved with local government.

Donning red T-shirts for McCain supporters, blue T-shirts in support of Obama and black T-shirts if they were still undecided, students from all grades turned out to listen to local bands and hear three different speakers address the importance of participation in government at every level.

“It’s important to be involved and absolutely necessary to be well-informed,” said Shelby Township Trustee Lisa Manzella, the evening’s first speaker. “Don’t say, ŒWell, I didn’t know who or what to vote for, so I didn’t vote.’ It is up to you to inform yourself, and utilize your right and privilege to vote.”

Manzella spoke not only about the importance of voting in presidential elections, but also of being involved in local elections. In August, Shelby Township held a primary election in which several new leaders for the township, including its supervisor, were elected. Only 28 percent of registered voters turned out for an election, Manzella said, that held huge changes for the local community.

“Local government is the strongest form of government because it is the most accessible and transparent,” she said. “All elections are very important. It’s imperative that voters stay informed on all of the issues and the candidates.”

Manzella said the opportunity to vote is a right and privilege that should not go unused, and she stressed students who were of age should register to vote and make sure they hit the polls Nov. 4.

“You should be just as excited about voting as you are about getting your driver’s license,” she said. “No one said, ŒWell, I didn’t know what driver’s school to go to, so I didn’t end up getting involved.’ You found where to go, you learned to do it and you got your license.”

For those students younger than the age of 18, Manzella urged them to stay informed on the issues surrounding them and begin getting involved in the political process, whether it was answering phones, placing calls or working polling locations. Getting involved early, she said, is not only a great opportunity, but can lead to further involvement; two candidates for Shelby Township trustee in the August primary were recent graduates of Eisenhower.

State Rep. Fred Miller, who represents Michigan’s 31st District in the State House of Representatives, spoke about the Democratic position and why he supports Barack Obama. Miller echoed Manzella’s call to get involved in local politics.

“Voting is the bare minimum you can do for a democracy,” he said. “Even if you can’t vote, you can make an impact by talking to people, making phone calls, knocking on doors or placing signs.”

Miller said Macomb County is especially important in the 2008 election, as the eyes of the nation are on Michigan as a swing-state, and the county has often been seen as a bellwether for the rest of the state and even the country. As the war in Iraq continues and problems plague the economy, the election will shape the course of the nation’s future, Miller said.

“There is so much going on right now and so many levels to what is going on,” he said. “We’re watching history being made right now.”

Miller explained the Democratic position on bringing more jobs to Michigan and spoke briefly of the “Hire Michigan” bill in the Michigan Legislature that is aiming to require companies to contract local workers for jobs. He also spoke of the importance of caring for the environment and of creating a 4-year public university in Macomb County, all of which are projects Democrats are supporting in the State House.

Miller closed by stating why he was supporting the Democratic nominee for president.

“The breadth and depth of things that are happening in our country right now are staggering,” he said. “We need a change. And, for me, Barack Obama has the will, courage, vision and ideas to make that change possible.”

Countering Miller’s position was Jarod Maynor, former chairman of the Youth Republican Party. Maynor also served on campaigns for Brian Palmer and Candice Miller, and has been involved in politics since 1998, when he said he first learned why he was a Republican.

“Being a Republican, for me, is about making my own decisions. I’m sure that none of you like being told what to do and that’s what got me started as a Republican ... If you need government to tell you to do something, maybe you need to ask why you need government to tell you to do something,” he said. “I honestly believe that what we’re doing in our nation, what we’re doing in the war on terror and what the President has done is 100 percent correct, and we’re safer because of it.”

Like Manzella and Miller, Maynor urged students to get involved at the local level, including working on elections.

“That is one of the best things you can do is work an election,” Maynor said. “You’re going to see that process up close and it’s a fascinating process to be a part of.”

While supporting the Republican candidate, Maynor said he agreed with Miller’s statement that history is being made in this year’s election.

“No matter what happens in this election, we will have made history. Either we will have Obama as the first black president in U.S. history or we will have, for the first time, a female as vice president,” said Maynor, who was a delegate at the Republican National Convention over the summer. “And I can tell you, Gov. Palin rocks.”

Both Miller and Maynor answered questions from students, debating, disagreeing and discussing different political viewpoints, ranging from the candidates’ experience to the war in Iraq, to the financial bailout package proposed over the week.

Rather than simply get into partisan debates, the rally gave students an opportunity to sign up for local involvement. Shelby Township Clerk Terri Kowal signed students up to work polling places during the election and Macomb County Clerk Carmella Sabaugh registered students to vote.

“It’s my future,” said Eisenhower senior Justin Doutre, who registered to vote in his first election. “I don’t know who I’m voting for yet, but it’s really exciting. I pay more attention to politics than I did before.”