The League of Women Voters of Kitsap County has recorded an interview on “Voting 101, Making Your Vote Count,” conducted by three Kitsap youth, Alejandra, Roan, and Alyssa, with Paul Andrews from the County Auditor’s office. It will be broadcast in Kitsap County on BKAT – Comcast Channel 12, WAVE Broadband channel 3, on Friday, October 23rd at 6 pm. Available to stream now on YouTube.
Why Vote? In October 2020, three Kitsap County teenagers recorded an interview with Paul Andrews, Kitsap County Auditor, to ask that question and to find out how to ensure that, when they do vote, it counts.
Roan, 18 and LWVK member, will be voting in his first presidential election in November. Both Alejandra, 17, and Alyssa, 16, are preregistered to vote, ensuring that when they turn 18 a ballot will arrive for their first election.
These teens care about our community and our country. They are engaged in the conversation about diversity, equity, and inequality. They are concerned about our environment. They believe one way to make a difference is through the ballot box. By recording this interview with Paul Andrews, Alejandra, Alyssa, and Roan hope other first time voters have the information they need to make their votes count.
About the Participants
As Kitsap County Auditor, Paul Andrews oversees elections in Kitsap County, as well as document recording, payroll for the county and other government agencies, county finances and the county’s licensing sub-agency. Prior to being elected Auditor, Paul spent more than 25 years as an IT professional, managing big data, focusing on modernization, transparency and accessibility while safeguarding sensitive records. He has a Building Design degree, is a graduate of Leadership Kitsap and is skilled in LEAN management practices. He and his wife, Carol, are the parents of 2 college age children and live in Port Orchard.
Elizabeth Blandin has worked in the education field for 20 years, teaching Literature, Journalism, and Writing at the secondary and college levels at Central Kitsap High School and Louisiana State University. She is currently a Cultural Competence and Equity trainer for the Central Kitsap School District, as well as through the consulting firm New Phase New Ways, which she co-owns with her husband, JD Sweet.
Alejandra is a senior at Bremerton High School. She is part of her school’s student government ASB, DECA, Leadership Orchestra Cabinet, and girls’ basketball team. She is part of KAIRE (Kitsap Advocating for Immigrant Rights & Equality) and Kitsap ERACE. After high school, she plans to study at a 4-year university, major in political science and economics, and minor in business. Her first career goal is to run for a representative seat in 2027 and become a congresswoman at the age of 25.
Alyssa is a junior at Vashon Island High School. She plans on going to college and ultimately getting a medical degree. Alyssa does debate, raises guide dogs for the blind, and plays the piano. She also tutors and is very politically active.
Roan is a senior at North Kitsap High School. He is involved in NKHS student government and a local Boy Scout troop. He has a fascination for politics and foreign policy and hopes to study those fields in university. His goal for the past two years working with the Kitsap LWV has been to encourage high school students to pre-register to vote. Now he has turned his focus to encouraging young voter turnout in the 2020 election.