Sarasota County Supervisor of Elections Ron Turner announced today the start of a three-week tour of local high schools to offer voter registration to students. “Now that the calendar has turned to September, I think many of us are beginning to focus on the November 5 General Election,” Turner said. “Likewise, students who may be voting for the first time or near voting age are beginning to pay attention as well. We want to go to where those students are to make sure they are registered to vote and answer any election-related questions they may have.” Each September, the elections office works with Sarasota County School District to schedule student voter registration events at local high schools. September is an ideal month for the voter registration events because there are often elections in November that help emphasize the importance of voting and being civically engaged. For the schools, September is usually when social studies and government classes begin covering the voting process. The student voter registration events will focus on registering students who are 18 or older, while encouraging students aged 16 and 17 to pre-register to vote. “In Florida, 16 and 17-year-olds can pre-register to vote,” Turner said. “By doing so, they will be ready to go when they turn 18, and perhaps best of all, they can participate in the election process as a student poll worker.” The student voter registration tour kicks off Tuesday with visits to Booker High School and the Sarasota Military Academy and concludes with a stop at Pine View School on Wednesday, September 25. For more information, contact the elections office at 941.861.8619.