Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate will present the Carrie Chapman Catt Award to two Iowa high schools during the early part of this week. The Carrie Chapman Catt Award goes to any school that registers at least 90% of eligible students to vote. Pate will present the award to Woodward-Granger High School on Monday and Pella Christian High School on Tuesday.
Woodward-Granger registered 91% of eligible students, while Pella Christian registered 95% during the 2019-20 school year. Iowa law allows 17-year-olds to register to vote. They also could participate in the June primary election if they will turn 18 on or before the November general election.
“September is National Voter Registration Month and it’s a great time to celebrate the remarkable achievements of these two schools,” Secretary Pate said. “It shows a lot of dedication by the students, their teachers and school leadership. I encourage all Iowa high schools to take an active role in helping their students register to vote.”
A total of 18 Iowa schools registered at least 90% of eligible students to vote during the past school year. Award presentations will be held throughout the state during the next few weeks.
The Carrie Chapman Catt Award is named after the famous Iowan who was instrumental in securing passage of the 19th Amendment, granting women access to the ballot box 100 years ago.
