What inspired me to speak at a Senate Education Committee meeting before heading to college.

Ali Sabir waiting to testify at the June 18, 2026 NJ State Senate Education Committee meeting.

When I walked into the Senate Education Committee hearing, I knew I had only a few minutes to speak. That made me think carefully about what I wanted legislators to remember after my testimony was over. I kept coming back to one person: Jermaine.

I met Jermaine through Prepare2Vote's VoteReady initiative. He came to our voter registration table convinced he had permanently lost his right to vote because he had been incarcerated years before. When we explained that under New Jersey law, people who are no longer incarcerated can vote—even if they are on probation or parole—he stopped for a second and asked, almost in disbelief, "So I can vote? I can actually vote?"

As we helped him register, he told us that his mother had always said voting was important. For years, he believed that right had been taken away permanently. Once he realized he was still eligible, he didn't keep the news to himself. He started calling other people over to our table so they could check their own eligibility and register as well.

I thought about that conversation while preparing my testimony because it highlighted something I have seen again and again: people cannot participate if they never learn how.

Jermaine learned the truth as an adult, but it made me wonder how many people would never end up in that position if they were taught these things before leaving high school.

That is why I testified in support of S2912, a bill requiring class time devoted to teaching voting instruction for high school seniors.

Schools are one of the few places that bring together students from every background. Regardless of race, income, gender, or family circumstances, nearly every young person passes through a classroom. That makes schools the most equitable place to ensure students understand the basics of participating in our democracy. Every student should leave high school knowing how to register to vote, where to find reliable election information, and what to expect when they vote for the first time.

Some students will learn those lessons at home. Many will not. Whether a young person grows up in a household where politics is discussed every night or one where it is never mentioned, they should graduate with the same foundation. Civic education helps level that playing field.

As I finished my testimony, I hoped legislators would see this proposal the same way I do: not as a partisan issue, but as a practical one. Voting is a lifelong responsibility, and preparing students for it should be part of preparing them for adulthood. If a conversation at a voter registration table could make such a difference for Jermaine, giving every student that knowledge before they graduate can make a difference too.

Thankfully, the Legislature seems to agree. After I testified, the Senate Education Committee advanced Senate Bill 2912 without opposition. A few weeks later, the bill passed the full New Jersey Senate unanimously. It is now awaiting consideration by the Assembly Education Committee.

I hope it continues moving forward. Every student deserves to enter adulthood knowing how to participate in our democracy. If one conversation with Jermaine could open the door for him and so many others, imagine what it could mean if every student graduated with that same knowledge before they ever became eligible to vote.