Warning: This article does not reflect the feelings or attitudes of Associated Students Incorporated (ASI), however, ASI still encourages you to #VoteYourVoice. Enjoy!
Did you know that 46 million of college students from 18 to 29-year-olds in the United States are eligible to vote compared to the 39 million senior citizens? Yet, only 45 percent of youth (down 6 percent from 2008) said they participated in the 2012 elections while 70 percent of seniors (up 2 percent from 2008) reported voter turnout.
It’s no secret that youth voter turnout is decreasing with every election we have. Whether it’s a lack of interest or a lack of knowledge, more and more college students are choosing to waive their right to vote their voices.
Maybe you’re shrugging a shoulder and thinking it doesn’t matter because your peers will be out there voting. What’s one vote, anyway? But you’re wrong—every last vote counts! Here’s why you should #VoteYourVoice:
Image courtesy of http://texascrs.wordpress.com/2012/11/19/half-of-the-youth-vote-left-untapped-potential-game-changer-for-2016/
A bigger youth demographic = More policies catering to youth.
Politics is a simple science, and it doesn’t take a genius to tell you that ultimately, politicians just want to get re-elected. Whether it’s the presidential elections or the midterm elections, candidates just want to stay in office. Now how do you think they get the votes they do to be re-elected? They make policies that cater to their most loyal voters! And as of now, those are the elder ones. Should the youth produce the largest voter turnout, don’t you think the politicians will notice most of their votes are coming from us? Vote! Maybe they’ll give us cookies.
The largest problems in society today affect US!
Reproductive rights, marriage equality, gender equality, education funding, employment and job training, police brutality—hundreds more! It all affects us. We constantly say we want change and we can use #hashtag #activism to spread the word all we want, but ultimately, the biggest change we can make is when we vote! Vote to see the changes you want made in not only your congressional district, not only California, but in America! #VoteYourVoice and make a difference today!
Didn’t vote? Can’t complain!
We all know that as Americans, it’s almost second nature to complain about everything and anything, no matter how trivial. I don’t know about you, but when it comes to our laws, policies and rights, I think there’s a good amount to complain about. But if you don’t vote, you’re not trying to make a difference, so your complaining is completely useless. Make a valuable contribution to society and make a change with your voice! Then you can complain.
Image courtesy of http://galleryhip.com/youth-vote.html
And the biggest one, YOUR VOICE MATTERS.
Let’s take a trip back to the 2000 presidential elections with Al Gore and George W. Bush. If you’re not familiar with the controversy that occurred, allow me to fill you in. During the 2000 election night, the electoral votes in Florida (known to be a swing state) was “too close to call.” For the next month, officials worked to recount the votes in Florida, and by the end of all the chaos, Bush was named President of the United States with only 537 more votes than Gore. That’s out of six million votes that were cast, meaning Bush won by only a 0.00009 percent margin. So the next time you think your vote doesn’t matter, let’s just remember that 537 is pretty much the amount of students in two large lecture halls. Had more people voted, history would have gone down very differently. That’s right: your vote can change history!
Now sometimes, it isn’t even a matter of whether or not you care enough to vote; some people just don’t know how to go about doing it. Over a quarter of college students reported that they did not know how to, where to or when to register to vote, and a study found that of the 18 to 29-year-olds that registered, 87 percent actually voted. So really, it’s all about getting started.
And we’ve got you covered, here at Cal Poly Pomona. If you’re interested in voting (and you should be!), we will be holding a polling station in the Bronco Student Center (BSC) tomorrow from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. From registering to actually voting, we have your back! For more information, click here.
Make a difference in your community and vote, Broncos! Spread the word and let us know about your voting experiences using the hashtag, #VoteYourVoice on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram then tell your friends to vote. Every voice counts!
