Why Students Should or Should not Vote

Sponsored by The New York Times in conjunction with The American Democracy Project .

 

Essay Contest Winner: Elliott Sewell, Graduate Student in Counseling

WHY COLLEGE STUDENTS SHOULD (OR SHOULDN’T) VOTE

Our country is a democracy, based upon the principle of ‘one person, one vote’, enshrined in laws that give each citizen the right to cast that vote, a weighted piece placed on one side or another of a balance. The heaviest side tips the scales and wins (unless encumbered by quirks in the electoral-college system which occasionally bestow victory upon the less popular candidate, as occurred in recent memory).

Implied, but not mandated, are the obligations to vote and to be fully informed about the state of the world: economic and environmental conditions, political upheavals, natural and man-made disasters, and the stance and character of candidates. This is an ongoing process and takes no holidays. You may ask why this civic self-education is our duty. The reason is clear: we must base our vote on knowledge not ignorance. The outcome shapes our world and our personal lives and fortunes in ways small and grand. Those we choose may be proactive or reactive, may vote on principals and personal knowledge, may do what is politically expedient or make decisions based on special interests rather than the welfare of the people.

That’s us - We The People. Are we watching our elected officials? Do we know where they stand and who is financing them? Do they tell the truth, or just the half truth, and nothing but what they want us to hear? Do we really care or do we just follow slogans? Do we pick a party like we pick a football team, blindly supporting it at all costs? Are we born into our party like we are into our church? Will political decisions increase funds for post-secondary education, or will we have to take up the slack? Will those of us who work pay higher taxes which will then be used to fund programs we deem unacceptable? Will the Damoclesan sword of universal draft once more hang over our heads, men's and women's? Will the cost of living – a basic concern in our lives - move beyond our grasp? Will we be able to continue our education?

There is a lot at stake, and collectively we are responsible for reaching the best outcome. It is clear that every vote counts - and that does mean yours and mine - towards improving our lives and our nation, and must be based upon forethought and understanding, (even though it won’t count any more than a vote based on a hairdo, a swagger or a smile). The more votes cast from informed citizens, the more likely their candidate will triumph in the election. So, what are you waiting for? If it’s not too late, get up and register. Stay informed. Explore alternative sources of news beyond corporate-owned conglomerates. Inform your friends, family and classmates about the issues and the importance of every vote. Don’t forget: Get out and vote on Tuesday, November 2nd.

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Design Contest Winner, Johanna Ventura, Freshman in Design, Merchandising, and Textiles




Title: Freedom...

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Essay Contest Honorable Mention, Ashlee Tilford, Senior in Corporate and Organizational Communication

We are Americans

We are Americans. We are freedom fighters. We are the future of America’s economy. We are young individuals. We have a voice that must be heard.

American women struggled through many battles for their rights. In 1920, the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution gave women the right to vote. Forty-five years later, in 1965, after many voting-rights activists were murdered; President Johnson passed the Voting Rights Act. This act prohibited denial of voting rights to anyone based on race or color. Finally, in 1971 the voting age was lowered to 18 years of age¹. In short, our ancestors fought and died to be heard and so that we could be heard today. Their pain and sacrifice gave us the invaluable right to choose our future. They gave us the right to vote. Our vote as young American’s symbolizes the world in which we want to work, raise our children, and live happily the rest of our lives. It only seems sensible to exercise such an irreplaceable right.

In the midst of our busy lives, it is often easy to place the blame on others for things that go awry in the world. The U.S. Census Bureau reported in November 2000 that 67.7 percent of Americans ages 18 to 24 did not vote in the presidential election. Furthermore, we are the only ones to blame when we choose to silence our voices. You may have heard the popular old saying, “the squeaky wheel gets the grease.” We voters are the “wheels” that determine in what direction America moves. Those of us who want to make a difference in our futures bombard the polls on Election Day and demand to be heard. On the other hand, those of us who are quiet and uninvolved will undoubtedly go unnoticed.
College non-voters may ponder the following question: “What things in my life could possibly be affected by voting?” A simple way to answer that question is one word, everything. Education, jobs, health care, drafts, finances, shopping, religion, marriage, and even driving are only a few aspects of our young lives affected by voting. Since our lives and futures are this drastically affected by voting, we should rejoice to have the right to go to the polls on Election Day and cast our vote.

We are Americans. We are freedom fighters. We are the future of America’s economy. We are young individuals. We have a voice that will be heard.

¹United States Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division, Voting Section. February 11, 2000. http://www.usdoj.gov/crt/voting.

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Design Contest Honerable Mention, Sara Miller, Junior in Design, Merchandising, and Textiles

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