The votes cast in today’s election will impact voters more than the 2012 presidential election.
Local elections are too important to go about picking random names that sound appealing. It is county and city elections that have an important effect on our community and the names chosen will fill the most important positions of local government.
We have been taught that it is our right to vote and we should exercise that right, yet there are still voters who don’t care. This seems to be increasingly true with younger generations that lack the desire to become active political members of society.
If we continue the trend of not caring, the entire idea of living in a country with a democratic government is demeaned. We are given the opportunity to choose our leaders, and it’s time we stop throwing that gift away.
For some students, today will be the first time they have the opportunity to participate in an election. Local elections are not on the same hyper-advertised, attention-getting level that presidential elections attain, but they are a good platform for first-time voters to begin building proper voting procedures.
Taking a few minutes to read the candidates’ platforms, understand the Moscow School District levy increase, or decode new regulations about the sale of liquor in grocery stores to students from Washington is one of the most important forms of education. Being knowledgeable about the issues can only benefit the right we already have — voting.
Voting correctly does take time, more time than many students have, but it is worth it to vote intelligently because it is a decision that has an obvious impact on our lives.
Being a prepared and educated voter applies to more than public government elections. The ASUI Senate elections that will take place Nov. 14-16 directly impact all students. It is our responsibility to vote for students to fill ASUI positions that reflect what we feel the student body needs and wants, and the best way to do that is by becoming educated about the candidates’ platforms.
Whether it is a presidential, local or student government election, voting is a right that shouldn’t be wasted with non-participation or ill-informed decisions.
Intelligently voting is our chance to make a change.
— MM