With Halloween in the past and Thanksgiving in the far future, it is time we focus on an incredibly important holiday inching towards the present: Election Day. On the first Tuesday of November, the United States will take part in a general election to nominate our representatives. Despite where you reside, you have the ability to vote for a candidate’s position in the House of Representatives, and some states have seats in the Senate up for reelection. Although college students and others 18 and older often hear about the elections, relatively few actually take part in the voting process. On Nov. 6, I encourage you to exercise your rights and vote for your preferable candidate.
After following the candidates and learning of their stance, deciding who to vote for can become a slight hardship. However, it is important to make an informed decision and cast your ballot. Voting can be an attempt to ensure the protection of your rights, as well as those you care about. That being said, it is crucial that registered voters research those that may take office and end up fighting for their rights. Right now, the laws and ideas coming forth in congress ultimately affect college-aged voters. This means that your future is IN YOUR HANDS and you must vote in order to shape the years to come. The policies forthcoming will directly affect you or someone you know, and voting for a candidate that most closely represents your ideals will help determine how you will be affected. At this point, it is incredibly difficult to figure out what course will be taken in regards to our government, but casting your vote for a candidate that you feel has your best interests in mind is one way to guide the path. Unfortunately, your future, rights and way of life depend on who has the power, but voting on Nov. 6 will allow you to have a voice.
Although voting helps shape the future, those eligible may not even register to vote. Even after registration, a portion of registered voters do not actually cast a vote. According to the South Carolina State Election Commission, Charleston County had a 64.34% voter turnout at the 2016 General Election. This means that, although there were 277,036 registered voters, only 178,249 ballots were cast. Although over half of those registered actually voted, there were still a good number of people who did not participate in their civic duty. Anderson County, close to our beloved CU, had a higher voter turnout than the busy county of Charleston, with 68.50% shaping their future. Luckily, Pickens County, where Clemson University resides, produced a higher voter turnout in 2016 with 71.93%. However, this percentage could be far greater if registered voters cast their ballots. Some people believe that their vote will not make a difference, but that is false. EVERY VOTE MATTERS. Help raise these percentages by registering AND following through with your democratic right!
Ultimately, it is up to the public to decide how this country will progress. I strongly advise you to take matters into your own hands and fight for your rights, rather than assume that your vote will not make a difference. EACH VOTE MAKES A DIFFERENCE. In this political climate, it is essential that young adults participate in election day and allow their voices to be heard. Do not fall into a sullen projection or percentage, do what you can to heighten the voter turnout! Help protect your family, friends and the public by casting a vote this Tuesday. Your future is up to you.
If you have questions about voting in South Carolina, check out this FAQ about the 2018 general election:
https://www.scvotes.org/sites/default/files/2018-11-06%20(GE%20FAQs).pdf
If you are not sure where you can vote in South Carolina, check out this page:
https://info.scvotes.sc.gov/eng/voterinquiry/VoterInformationRequest.aspx?PageMode=VoterInfo
If you need to contact your elections office, follow this link to find their contact information (South Carolina):
https://www.scvotes.org/how-register-absentee-voting
2016 voting statistics:
http://www.enr-scvotes.org/SC/64658/184701/en/vt.html
I hope you enjoyed this op-ed. If you agree or disagree with me on this topic and would like to contact me to share your own opinion, or if you would like to request any future topics for me to write about, please do so at [email protected]
