Last year, the law changed in Iowa to allow anyone who's going to be 18 by election day in November to register now. And they can even vote in the June primary while they're still 17.
Pate says hundreds of high schools participated last year.
"We had 22 high schools alone who accepted the challenge and registered 90 per cent or more of their eligible students to vote, and we want to see us build off of that."
Pate says record numbers of young people, ages 18 to 24, have voted in the last two elections in Iowa. In 2020 for example turnout by this age group reached 62 per cent.
"I think it's important that young people be taken seriously in elections and having their voice heard, whether it's in school board elections, city elections, or in national elections. So having them register to vote is the first big step."
Working with county auditors, the Iowa Secretary of State reaches out to social studies teachers, principals, and youth groups to promote the annual High School Voter Registration Day.