Gearing up to vote for the first time in Phila.

PHILADELPHIA - October 9, 2012

This will be the first visit to the polls for many of these students, and they're eager to exercise their newly acquired right.

"If you want your voice to be heard, then you've got to vote," said senior Imani Mawsi.

Tuesday is the deadline, so The Committee of 70 and The Pennsylvania Voter ID Coalition set up one last push to register young voters at 11 Philadelphia high schools.

Girls High has held registration drives before, but they wanted to make sure nobody missed their chance.

"They're divided in terms of who they're hoping to be the president," said principal Parthenia Moore. "But they're making their own decision, and that's what really counts."

"I think it's just really important that we preserve the process of people getting involved exercising the right to vote," said volunteer Andrea Moselle.

Too young to register? That didn't stop some of these students from stopping by to ask questions. Even students under 18 explained that age is no excuse to be uninformed.

"As in every election, it's really important to pay attention because we are the voice of change," said senior Danielle Waite. "And everything that happens impacts us in a way."

Registering is just the first step. Of course the next one is getting people to the polls to vote. Students here say they'll be there, and they hope they're in good company.

"Youth should be more educated in politics," said senior Marina Rinaldi, "especially because there are a lot of people who are my age and eligible to vote, and they don't really know what's going on around them."

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