Peoria Standard

Republican Senator Jason Barickman held a Youth Advisory Council as thousands of Illinoisans are voting in the general election.

“We welcomed dozens of students from nearly 20 different high schools in the 53rd District to try their hand at the lawmaking process during the fall Youth Advisory Council,” Barickman wrote on Facebook. “This event gives the students a chance to discuss and debate ideas and get immediate feedback from their peers. It is a positive growing environment.”

The Nation noted the GOP has been trying to attract younger votes to support nationwide anti-abortion and same-sex marriage bans, to name a few right-wing policies.

The Youth Advisory Council (YAC) took place on Oct. 21, at the Elks Lodge in Pontiac. Student attendees had plenty to say about their experience. “I think it’s really interesting, I’ve never been to something like this,” said Normal West student Abigail Morse. “Usually, I stay away from politics because I don’t want to get in fights and arguments, but this has been a different experience, and I probably won’t scare away from politics anymore.” “I think it’s been really good, it’s been really informative, and it’s been different than anything I’ve ever been to,” said Hoopeston High School student Emma Rayls. “I’ve been to conventions, and they’ve had speakers, but they’ve never had speakers that were politicians speaking different mindsets, and they’ve never had interactions with the audience that share different opinions.”

Vote Smart noted Barickman didn’t vote to give teachers paid sick leave if they caught COVID-19, even if vaccinated.

This is not the first YAC meeting that Barickman has hosted this year. In the spring, he also held a YAC gathering.

This is what he had to say after the spring meeting: 

"Every year, I get inspired by the fact that you know these are some of the future leaders of our communities, and our state, and our country and I encourage them to act upon that. If you listen to them today, they're very mature. Their ideas are very well thought, they're super informed. You can tell that they're not thinking of issues on a first impression. They do their homework, and that should give us all hope.”

Of course, younger voters have seen using their freedom to protest. When Republican Senator Ben Sasse visited the University of Florida, students protested his visit because of his negative views on LGBT-plus rights, The Guardian reported.

Barickman was elected to the Senate in 2012. He attended Illinois State University, graduating with a bachelor’s degree in Political Science, according to the Illinois Senate.