The voice of college students matter, too
As the 2024 presidential election looms closer and closer, there has never been a more important time for college students to vote.
First, if you are planning on not voting because where you are registered is far away from the university, allintovote.org is a wonderful online resource that will walk you through the steps of voting early or voting by mail depending on where you are registered.
Why should you care about voting?
According to The Institute for Democracy and Higher Education, the 2020 presidential election saw a record number of college students voting at 66%– shockingly close to the 67% the U.S. Census Bureau reported voted nationally. This was the highest voter turnout of the 21st century.
We cannot lose this momentum. I know that morale is extremely low this election cycle.
Everyone keeps talking about how this election is a “choice between two evils.” I sympathize with that perspective, but it’s not a reason to waste your vote by apathy.
This will be the first time many of you will have the chance to vote in a presidential election. This year, the race is particularly polarizing – each outcome will have vastly different results in terms of the legislation passed in the next four years. Everything from taxes to health- care policy to international relations is on the table.This legislation will affect many of you as you begin adulthood, begin your career, or if you’re a senior, it could affect you while you get married or start a family.
College students face a lot of barriers when it comes to voting that other adults may not.
Email your voting questions to TroyTropNews@gmail.com, and we’ll answer them!
Not voting is a vote for the dominant party in your state. In the case of Alabama, the republican party.
In 2020, Trump won Alabama with a 62% majority, according Al.com, but only 63% of registered voters casted a ballot. If less than 15% more democrats had voted in Alabama, then the state would have been blue.
Now, I’m not saying that you should vote democrat- ic – I am simply illustrating the power of a vote and the power of momentum. Just because it has never been done before, doesn’t mean it never will. Sure, one vote doesn’t matter ALL that much, but when thousands of people have that ‘my-vote-doesn’t-matter’ mindset, the ballots add up.
Take the time to research the issues you care about the most and the stances of each candidate. Civic en- gagement starts with a strong understanding of how your community and country works and the policies that dictate your day-to-day life.
As much as politics may make you want to pull a pillow over your face and scream, politics do affect you. If college students don’t vote, then the young adults of America are not properly being respected in government. That should bother you.
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