Celebrities across the country have played a key role in the push to get out the vote ahead of midterm elections. Early in October, Taylor Swift posted an emotionally charged message on Instagram on the importance of voting. In the 24-hour period after her post, 65,000 people registered to vote. Wilson has its own version of Swift, and her name is Colyar Trimble.

Trimble ran the booth at Wilson on October 12 with fellow junior Alik Schier. She came upon the idea when she received an email from Do Something, an organization that helps young people improve their communities. Trimble eagerly filled out an application, and was accepted as one of 100 participants.

Trimble began preparing by ordering pins, making banners, and organizing voter registration forms. It was easy to get overwhelmed, but with help from Do Something, Trimble was able to navigate the process seamlessly. “It was a really great process because throughout the whole thing I never felt lost,” she said.

Beyond the physical set up, Trimble had to figure out the logistics of when and how the booth would be set up. This required painstaking scheduling and organizing efforts. Next, Trimble and Schier filled the Wilson and social media with news of the voter registration drive.

Their hard work paid off, registering 48 students. “It felt really great to know that this many people want to be active in politics, and will be using their right to vote,” Trimble said. Among those registered were 16- and 17-year-olds who could pre-register. “A lot of people asked me why they should register when they’re only 16, and I think it is because it’s very important to make sure that you as an individual are ready to take action,” Trimble said.

Trimble hopes to reverse negative voting trends for young people. “Young people that are capable of voting tend to, as a group, have a way lower turnout rate than older generations. We can change that, but first we need to get everyone aware and registered.”