Young people cannot ignore historic election Editorial |
It might be January now, but November seems to come closer every single day. This year there is a very important election.
Then again when is an election not important? There are several candidates who will stop at nothing to grab the attention of the voting public. There is only one problem. Will the public actually go out and vote?
Believe it or not, this is easier said than done for the age 18-30 crowd. Sure, it is important for college students to study hard and focus on that big exam, but it is also important for this age group to study the candidates.
Politics is not exactly considered important to students. Instead of figuring out which club to go to and what songs they should put on their iPods, students should be thinking about politics and this historical presidential election.
For some, it is not exactly eye-catching to watch presidential debates, but it is important to focus on the future.
Finding out what platform each candidate has to offer is beneficial to the youth of America and it must be noted that the next leader of the Free World is going to be in charge for the next four years, or perhaps eight.
The good news is that more and more people below the age of 30 voted in the 2004 election. The bad news is that it is still a small percentage of the U.S. population.
It is time for people to stop thinking that their votes do not count. America’s youth must be heard on Election Day, espceially dealing with issues such as the ongoing war in Iraq, the uncertainty of the economy, and universal health care.
Of course, nothing is more irritating than people complaining about how things are being run in this country and they did not even vote. Non-voters have no one else to blame but themselves.
The solution to this problem is simple. It would not hurt to watch a few debates on CNN, Fox News or MSNBC.
Also, pay attention to the issues each candidate is presenting. Whatever comes out of their mouth may be helpful to help in choosing the right candidate.
It is also important to hear what the opposing party’s candidates might say.
Sure, there are people who automatically vote Democrat or Republican, but it does not hurt to hear both sides.
Of course, in order to vote, you must be registered to vote. All 18 year old American citizens are eligible to register to vote. We urge you to do that immediately, if you have not done so yet.
Most college students register to vote in the county of their permanent residence.
Take time to do so. You can register now for most counties in Texas via email.
The final, and most important, thing to do next is to actually go to the voting polls.
You can vote early at several locations in your home county, request a ballot by mail from your home county and send it back before the deadline or actually go vote on Nov. 4 (it’s not that far away).
On Election Day, you will go to your precinct’s assigned voting side and cast your ballot. You can do it. We’re counting on you. So, start thinking about politics now. Your future and that of America’s next generation is counting on your vote.
It might not be the most exciting event to happen in one’s life, but it is easily the most important.