SOUTH TALLAHASSEE, FL (WTXL) — With Election Day just two weeks away, first-time voters in Leon County are looking for answers before casting their ballots.
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On Monday night, young voters gathered at a community event called Ballot Business 101 to ask questions about the ballot and how local government works. The event, hosted by Tallahassee Alert at Watson Temple, brought neighbors together to talk about the upcoming election.
For some of these young voters, this November will be their first time casting a ballot. Their questions ranged from how judges get their jobs to who makes appointments when a position becomes vacant.
Sahara Martin attended as part of a school assignment, but she says she walked away with more than just a completed assignment.
"I didn't know how to vote. I didn't know what to vote for. I didn't know what policies I should vote for. You see a lot of things on social media, like yes for this or vote yes for this person, but I really wanted to know, like, what ideals the person had or what, especially what the amendments meant," Martin said.
Local attorney Mutaqee Akbar helped answer questions about the election process and how certain government positions are filled.
"I think it's extremely important for our young voters to get out, but not just go out and just check boxes, but be educated voters so for them to be here today to ask a question that they asked about the judges the senate race, and, you know, all the other races. I think is very, very important because, I mean, our future their future depends on this election right here," Akbar said.
According to the Leon County Supervisor of Elections, more than 24,000 voters ages 18 to 25 are registered. The September precinct demographic analysis report shows 750 registered voters ages 18 to 25 in the FSU Student Union precinct. At FAMU's Efferson Student Union precinct, that number is 1,226.
Neighbors also had a chance to discuss the amendments on their ballots and what those changes could mean for their communities.
Organizers say that's the purpose of Ballot Business 101 — to give neighbors a place to ask questions, learn about the issues and better understand the decisions they'll face at the polls.
For anyone still trying to understand what's on their ballot, the Leon County Supervisor of Elections has sample ballots and other voter information available online.
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