First-time voters hit the polls as part of the ‘Get Out the Teen Vote’ event

DAYTON, Ohio ( WDTN ) — Early voting started this week, and some high school students have already headed to the polls.

It was a big celebration for first-time voters in Montgomery County, who got the chance to make their voices heard.

Around 200 high school students from around Montgomery County joined that celebration for the 15th annual “Get Out the Teen Vote” event.

The group of students crossed the Dayton Peace Bridge, parading through the streets of Dayton, all on their way to crossing an important milestone.

“It’s so much fun to do this,” said Dayton Mayor Jeffrey Mims, Jr. “Our kids are starting to take that step into adulthood.”

The event, celebrating those newly turned 18 and about to vote for the first time, happens each year. Mims and several other community organizations host the event.

“We have people who are here who want to make sure that young people get a good start, understanding the value of voting,” said Mims.

After marching, students cast their ballots inside the Montgomery County Board of Elections early voting center. Each earned an “I voted” sticker, and learned an important lesson.

“We want them to be able to understand that this is their community and this is one of the first ways they can show that this is indeed their community,” said Will Smith, Dayton Public Schools board president.

Smith says it’s all about getting students involved in the decisions that shape our community.

“They’re the future. And so many times we forget that they are the future. And so the more that we can do that, the better off we’ll be,” said Smith.

Some sixth-grade students also tagged along for the event to see how the voting process works. If you want to vote ahead of election day, your county BOE office is open now through Nov. 3. Polls open on Election Day, Nov. 5, at 6:30 a.m.

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