MHS Students Partner with the LWV-LM on Get Out the Vote Project & Enslavement Trail

As they prepared to graduate from Mamaroneck High School, a group of OCRA (Original Civic Research Action) students reported on the project they have been working on for the past three years. Here’s the report they texted to their League of Women Voters partners on June 4, 2025:

Hi, we’re Max Szuchman, Linnea Block, Sienna Knight, and Emma Post, and we’re the Get Out the Vote OCRA group.

Emma: Since sophomore year, we’ve been working to increase voter turnout both locally and statewide, focusing specifically on youth and Hispanic populations.

Nationally, only about 23% of eligible voters aged 18 to 24 turned out in the last midterm election. We believe that if young people are empowered and educated early, that number can, and should, be much higher.

Linnea: Over the past two years, we’ve organized voter registration drives here at Mamaroneck High School. In partnership with the League of Women Voters and our mentors Louise Perez and Terry Toll we’ve registered and pre-registered more than 300 new voters from our school community.

Max: We’ve also advocated for the elimination of off-cycle elections, working to align local elections with federal and midterm ones to boost turnout. This effort proved successful when Governor Kathy Hochul signed the “Even Year Election Law” into effect in December of 2023.

Sienna: In addition, we’ve taught bilingual classes at the Community Resource Center here in Mamaroneck, using a translator to help new citizens understand the voting process at both the local and national level, and the many layers of our local government. We’ve also registered many of them to vote.

Emma: Most recently, we’ve worked with Assemblymember Nily Rozic to draft a bill that would allow 17-year-olds to vote in primary elections if they’ll be 18 by the general election that November. This proposed amendment to the New York State Constitution has already been introduced in the Assembly and carried into the Senate by Senator Jamaal Bailey, where it’s currently in the Election Law Committee.

Linnea: We’re incredibly hopeful for the advancement of this bill, as it would give young voters a voice in who appears on their general election ballot-and could significantly increase youth voter turnout across the state.

Max: We are so grateful to Mr. [Joe] Liberti [MHS teacher and OCRA founder] and all of our mentors for four incredible years.

Thank you for giving us the opportunity to work on such a pressing issue both locally and nationally. As we head off to college, we’re excited to continue our efforts and advocacy in the next chapters of our lives.

ALL: Thank you!