Shadow Ridge seniors challenge Gen Z stereotypes at the ballot box

Editor's note: Este artículo está traducido al español.

At Shadow Ridge High School, getting students registered to vote isn’t just a checkbox — it’s a conviction.

Nevada Secretary of State Cisco Aguilar visited the school Tuesday to present the Helen J. Stewart Award, a recognition given to high schools that register at least 85% of their eligible graduating seniors to vote, including 17-year-olds who can preregister.

This year, 89% of Shadow Ridge’s graduating seniors have registered to vote. It was the school’s seventh time earning the honor.

Behind that number is social studies teacher Matthew Nighswonger, who has made civic participation a cornerstone of his classroom. Speaking directly to his students at the ceremony, he was candid about the uncertainty that can come with the work.

“I don’t know, in the grand scheme of things, how big of a difference it all makes, but I know I’ve definitely made it more accessible for your generation to have a voice in our government,” he said. “I know government can be frustrating; I teach it, I deal with it every day, but I really do firmly believe that if you’re going to change something, you have to be part of that change.”

In Nevada, you must be a U.S. citizen; at least 18 years old; and have continuously lived in the state at least 30 days in your county and 10 days in your precinct to register as a voter.

The Nevada Secretary of State’s Office released its latest active voter registration numbers this week. Aguilar reported an increase of 20,805 active registered voters in April, bringing the state’s total to 2,061,557. About 38%, or 786,136, are registered as nonpartisan voters, while 574,522 identify as Republican and 568,778 as Democrats.

There are 218,829 residents between the ages of 18 and 24 registered to vote, with the majority leaning nonpartisan, according to data from Aguilar's office.

Shadow Ridge has claimed the Helen J. Stewart Award in seven of the past nine years. The one exception was 2020, when school closures and remote learning due to COVID-19 forced teachers to rethink how they reached students at home.

Nighswonger adapted. That year, he organized a drive-up voter registration event so students could still sign up — a creative workaround on top of his usual approach of weaving civics into everyday classroom discussion.

Aguilar presented Nighswonger and four students with the award, touching on his office’s efforts to increase accessibility and explaining why showing up to vote matters.

Nevada ranked among the top 10 states in the country for voter turnout from 18- to 29-year-olds in the 2024 election, according to a Tufts University analysis, with 57% of young Nevadans casting ballots in the general election — trailing only Michigan, Maine and Minnesota.

Aguilar said individual voters carry real weight, especially in a battleground state like Nevada, where some races are decided by just a handful of votes.

Those stakes will only grow for the students. In two years, they will be eligible to vote in a 2028 presidential primary featuring no incumbent candidate.

Nevada will be one of the first states to host the Democratic presidential primary, meaning those Shadow Ridge students — and other young voters — could be trailblazers in determining who emerges as the Democratic nominee in 2028, Aguilar noted.

He also stressed the importance of demanding that politicians represent young voters’ values on issues that directly affect them — like education, immigration and the environment.

“Your vote does matter, so please get out there,” Aguilar told the students. “Nevada, as we say, is the road to the White House, and your vote is stronger in Nevada than most countries or most states in this country.”

Many of the Shadow Ridge students will vote for the first time in the June primary. Others will cast their first ballot in the November midterm election, highlighted by the governor’s race in Nevada.

For Shadow Ridge seniors Hannah Noble, Connor Fife, Landon Etchegoyen-Caggiano and Emmaliyah Jimenez, registering to vote is about getting their voices heard and challenging stereotypes associated with Gen Z.

Historically, voter turnout among younger voters has been low compared with other age groups. In 2016, only 39% of eligible voters ages 18 to 29 cast a ballot, but that number jumped to 50% four years later, according to data from Tufts University. It decreased in 2024 to 47%. Among that group, 50% of young women voted, and 41% young men did.

Noble said that “when young people do not vote, it’s not just silence, but it’s a missed opportunity” to create change and connect with their community.

Jimenez spoke about how voting at a younger age can help create a long-term habit and offer young adults a way to have their voices heard through supporting or opposing certain legislation or candidates.

Etchegoyen-Caggiano encouraged his classmates to stay informed on issues, engage in dialogue with others and understand their rights as voters. He challenged students to vote before someone decides their future for them.

“Our generation is always talking about change; we talk about improving schools, fixing problems in our communities and making the future better, but none of that happens if we stay uninvolved,” Etchegoyen-Caggiano said. “At the end of the day, government isn’t just something distant … it’s something that shapes all of our lives right now and in the future. Whether we choose to be involved or not, it’s still going to affect us, so we might as well have a voice in our government and use it loudly.”