River View High School hosted a voter registration forum for eligible seniors on Oct. 27, 2025, in a school-led effort to increase youth participation in McDowell County’s civic life. The event, confirmed by official posts from the West Virginia Secretary of State’s office on X and Facebook that included photographs, featured Field Service Representative Lee Dean discussing voting rights, West Virginia’s role in the 26th Amendment and a demonstration of ExpressVote machines. River View’s school counselor Tabatha VanDyke and civics teacher Chris Kelly facilitated the session.

State social posts published the same day offer primary confirmation of the forum’s timing and activities. Searches of the West Virginia Department of Education and the school’s online channels did not locate an earlier September announcement, but the Secretary of State’s office materials provide clear documentation of the Oct. 27 program and photographic evidence of its occurrence.

Local organizers framed the forum as part of broader efforts to register eligible seniors ahead of upcoming elections and to encourage lifelong voting habits. McDowell County has struggled with low voter turnout relative to state averages, a challenge entwined with long-term population decline, limited job opportunities, and the economic shifts tied to the coal industry. Civic-education touches like this classroom forum aim to connect young residents to decisions that affect school funding, infrastructure repairs and local economic development.

The forum also included a hands-on demonstration of ExpressVote machines, intended to familiarize students with the equipment used in West Virginia elections. Familiarity with voting technology can reduce barriers for first-time voters and ease the administrative process when students reach eligibility.

While the event is verified by state posts, certain details remain to be confirmed. The number of students who attended or completed registration during the forum was not included in the Secretary of State’s social media materials. For a fuller accounting of turnout and registration results, follow-up with River View High School administrators or the McDowell County clerk’s office would be necessary.

The appearance of a statewide election office representative in Bradshaw underscores a growing emphasis on rural voter outreach. For a county reliant on small-town networks and personal ties, in-school registration efforts can be especially consequential: encouraging a single cohort of new voters can ripple through families and peer groups, reinforcing civic participation in local decision-making processes that directly shape daily life.

As communities across McDowell County seek pathways to economic stability and improved public services, efforts to broaden the electorate among younger residents reflect a strategic, long-term approach to civic renewal. The Oct. 27 forum at River View High represents a localized example of that strategy, backed by official state documentation but awaiting additional local data to measure its immediate impact.