Illinois high school students are now able to leave school to vote. Governor JB Pritzker signed the legislation on Jan. 23.

Students from Thornton Fractional North and South high school first presented the idea to state Senator Elgie Sims, according to the Chicago Tribune. Sims worked alongside other members of state congress to get the legislation passed into law.

“Signing this plan into law broke down a barrier that has long made it difficult for them and other students throughout the state to vote,” Sims said in a press release.

So what does this mean?

To me, not that much.

Although giving students a two hour time period that they can be excused for to go and vote is great, you can only begin to imagine how it can be abused.

Now don’t get me wrong, I think it’s great that the state is encouraging students to vote by doing this, but don’t you think they could have taken a different route?

For instance, they could have just opened a polling area in or very close to the school so the administration can monitor the students.

Voting is a civic duty and I think any high school student that can should take advantage of being able to do so.

Although the first election in Illinois is on March 17, the bill will not go into effect on June 1, so students will not be able to use this until next school year.

For most students, this will be their first time ever getting the chance to vote, so Governor Pritzker wants to instill a lifetime of voting in them.

“Young people are most often change,” he said. “Carried over the finish line for passion of an issue unburden by an issue of cynicism and setback.”