2008 Woodie Awards
What do you mean I can't vote here?
JaLiza Braxton
Section: Opinion
Although voting for the first time during the primaries may be exciting for some students, there are others who are virtually unaffected, because they have no means of transportation to travel to their home towns to vote in designated districts. Why not have polls on campus that correspond to various states, and allow students to conveniently vote without taking a long trip home? Having polls on campus would heighten the political efficacy of the young voting population. It may also relieve a great deal of pressure on the students who were not be able to vote because they simply could not get home. Political apathy or a lack of desire to keep up with politics or exercise the right to vote due to a false sense of hope will no longer be an issue with young college students who are not able to vote, because they are outside their voting districts.
Are you going to vote for Clinton or Obama? That is one of the most controversial questions that has been buzzing around campus, especially amongst first-time voters. This is an exciting time because someday the now vibrant students will evolve into potential voters that will be able to boast about voting during one of the most distinct campaigns ever. "Holding the presidential primaries is one of the first steps in the process of electing the President of the United States of America (www.wikipedia.org)." With the majority of novice voters either recently turning eighteen or registering to vote, the decision of which candidate will get their vote is very valuable. The most important question is: Where can students temporarily residing outside of their districts vote without an absentee ballot?
On the contrary, providing the funds and personnel to assist absentee elections would more than likely cost thousands, possibly millions of tax payer's dollars. With the country going into a slight recession and a slight increase in the cost of living, a hindsight perception would be very accurate. Would taxpayers rather spend money to help fund polling booths for college students, which would ultimately allow people to vote for a new president, or wait until someone they supported loses to another candidate due to a lack of votes from a particular group? Either scenario will generate a list of grievances.
Maryland native April Thornton, a freshman at Norfolk State University feels differently. "I really wanted to make my vote count during the Maryland primaries, but I couldn't because I am registered to vote only in my home-state, Maryland," Thornton stated, "I feel that there should be a representative to give students the opportunity to use their voices."
If polls are strategically stationed on campus during the days of each state's primary, registered individuals with valid proof of residence should be allowed to vote. Each person who has the potential of voting should also have a voice as a citizen no matter where they are located throughout the country. If accommodations such as polls on campus are made, students will be eager to vote. Students would be satisfied that they do not have to wait until November to vote, but instead get a head start by expressing their right to vote during the presidential primaries.
Are you going to vote for Clinton or Obama? That is one of the most controversial questions that has been buzzing around campus, especially amongst first-time voters. This is an exciting time because someday the now vibrant students will evolve into potential voters that will be able to boast about voting during one of the most distinct campaigns ever. "Holding the presidential primaries is one of the first steps in the process of electing the President of the United States of America (www.wikipedia.org)." With the majority of novice voters either recently turning eighteen or registering to vote, the decision of which candidate will get their vote is very valuable. The most important question is: Where can students temporarily residing outside of their districts vote without an absentee ballot?
On the contrary, providing the funds and personnel to assist absentee elections would more than likely cost thousands, possibly millions of tax payer's dollars. With the country going into a slight recession and a slight increase in the cost of living, a hindsight perception would be very accurate. Would taxpayers rather spend money to help fund polling booths for college students, which would ultimately allow people to vote for a new president, or wait until someone they supported loses to another candidate due to a lack of votes from a particular group? Either scenario will generate a list of grievances.
Maryland native April Thornton, a freshman at Norfolk State University feels differently. "I really wanted to make my vote count during the Maryland primaries, but I couldn't because I am registered to vote only in my home-state, Maryland," Thornton stated, "I feel that there should be a representative to give students the opportunity to use their voices."
If polls are strategically stationed on campus during the days of each state's primary, registered individuals with valid proof of residence should be allowed to vote. Each person who has the potential of voting should also have a voice as a citizen no matter where they are located throughout the country. If accommodations such as polls on campus are made, students will be eager to vote. Students would be satisfied that they do not have to wait until November to vote, but instead get a head start by expressing their right to vote during the presidential primaries.
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