Gen Z students at Chicago schools cast ballots for first time: 'Our vote counts'

CHICAGO (WLS) -- ABC7 is bringing you a new series, called "The Z Vote," where we dive into the political issues on the minds of Gen Zers.

It's highly likely that the Gen Z vote will play a big role in the November election. A group of local students cast their ballots Friday for the first time.

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Chicago students who have gotten out to vote are creating a domino effect that goes beyond first-time voters. The weeks of research and conversations in class surrounding the importance of voting has led to excitement with those who voted, their peers and even their parents.

"The 2016 election, and I remember I was a little kid. I was super sad. I was crying," first-time voter McKenzie Monroe said. "I asked my mom, like, 'why can't I vote?'"

Now, Monroe is all grown up, at least when it comes to voting eligibility.

"We can get young people 18 through 25 to really believe that their vote counts, because it does," Monroe said.

The 18-year-old student at Butler College Prep, who's always been politically active, joined a group of first time voters who were cheered on by a marching band, dancers and their peers as they headed to the polls Friday.

"Some of them who were saying, like, 'I'm not gonna vote. It doesn't really matter today,'" Butler College Prep English teacher Joy Pryor said. "After everything that we did today, now they're like, 'I can't wait to vote.'"

The students had classes nearly every other day to research candidates locally and nationally.

"Me voting, I just feel like now I can change the world," first-time voter Demie Evans said.

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"I feel like everybody vote count, and I feel like our vote counts," Latrell Greenwood said.

The excitement carries over to those not eligible to vote just yet and everyone connected to them.

"Some of the adults were even like, 'oh, I can go to this site,' you know, because they became more aware," Pryor said.

The generational impact is why Jasmine Stakehouse, an alum of Butler College Prep and second-time voter, came to support the students Friday. She said it was her grandmother who instilled the value of voting in her and that's something she wants the next generation to have.

"2016 election was definitely a wake up call for me. It was the first time that I realized like everything was happening and how it could affect things," Stakehouse said. "Just me and my grandma and my aunt. We're gonna all go vote together. It's just a thing that we do."

It will be critical, as every vote is going to count in this election. A New York Times poll shows Kamala Harris and Donald Trump are essentially deadlocked at 48% each, showing a tightening in the polls over the last couple of weeks.

SEE ALSO | Kamala Harris appeals to Black men as Gen Z voters say policy matters most

Monroe said she's all in on Harris, but said no matter who you lean towards - just vote.

"Our ancestors fought for us to have this opportunity, and so it doesn't matter whether you vote red or blue," Monroe said. "Go out and vote."