TOMBALL (October 7, 2024) – LSC-Tomball celebrated Constitution Day with an educational event featuring the City of Houston Controller, Chris Hollins, who charged students to protect our democracy by voting.
The event was held on National Voter Registration Day and was sponsored by Houston Endowment and the Houston Voting Initiative. The program began with all participants singing the national anthem, followed by veterans, Megan Ortega and Justin Kieffer, who spoke about their service in the armed forces and their commitment to protecting our freedoms.
Ortega, who retired from the U.S. Army in August 2024 after over 22 years of service, is enrolled in a government class at LSC-Tomball. She shared that the Constitution Day program was an educational opportunity for students and a timely reminder to register to vote.
“Let us never take our freedoms for granted, neglect to exercise our rights, or forget the significance of the Constitution and its role in shaping this great nation,” said Ortega.
Hollins was the next to speak, addressing the students about his beginnings in city government and his current role as city controller. Describing himself as “the taxpayers’ watchdog,” he emphasized his mission to eliminate wasteful spending, combat fraud, and ensure the county’s finances are managed efficiently and effectively.
Hollins talked about his tenure as the former Harris County elections chief and his work to protect and expand voting rights in Houston. His initiatives included 24-hour drive-through voting, online mail ballot tracking, and tripling the number of early voting centers. He also gave the audience practical advice about creating a voting plan: check your registration or register to vote, research candidates, learn about early voting options, explore day-of-voting choices, and share your vote plans with family and friends to encourage participation.
“I became a civil servant because I believe in our democracy,” said Hollins. “The ballot box is truly the one place all our voices are equal. Every vote counts; use your voice at the ballot box.”
Hollins concluded by taking questions from the audience. Questions covered topics such as, how to switch the party primary one can vote in, the number of presidential candidates on the 2024 ballot, ways to become an informed voter, and how to pursue a career in politics.
Ortega said she was “definitely impacted” by Hollins' talk.
“I still don't know who I will vote for in this upcoming election,” said Ortega. “It will be my first time to vote. I used to be part of the population that thought my vote didn't matter. After taking Dr. Gilbert’s Government class and learning more about Constitution Day, I realized that by not voting I was still making an impact, and the impact might not be positive for the side I prefer.”
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