President Obama and Mitt Romney are asking for votes from people all around the nation and that includes students right here on campus.
For many of the seniors, the first time they get to vote is a milestone. It’s for the next president and that’s not a light task. Still that responsibility can come with an overwhelming feeling of growing up and finally getting to make a difference that can change the nation, something many of their classmates must wait four more years to do.
“It’s very special and I’m happy about it,” senior Christina Marshall said. “I get to do something important that affects my life and everyone else’s. I have a role in the future.”
However not every senior is able to vote, some didn’t meet the birthday deadline of Nov. 6 and now must wait four years until the next presidential election. They are unable to change the results, so they must be content with the outcome that will unfold.
“I want to help, but I don’t want anything to do with the political parties,” senior Jade Rushton said. “I would vote if I could, because then I would have a little bit of say about who ran our country. I don’t want everyone to suffer like we are now.”
Not everyone 18 years old is wishing they could put in their vote too. Some believe that it doesn’t matter who gets elected and they wouldn’t vote even if they could.
“I feel natural about the whole thing,” senior Randi West said. “Whatever happens I’m still going to live the life I’m living no matter what, nothing will change. It doesn’t affect me.”
There is a lot of information out there about the different candidates that can leave any new voter overwhelmed. The Internet has been a helpful resource to many students as while as the presidential debates, but History teacher Michael Hjort warns that knowing the information is a key part to voting.
“I only want the students that know the issues to vote,” Hjort said. “If you are not informed or educated on what’s going on, you’re going to affect the vote. If you don’t know, then don’t vote.”
When enough people that know what the issues are come together it can change the way a country works. In an age where people think that their vote doesn’t count, senior Cassidee Johnson reminds us that if you leave the result to fate and don’t vote, you might regret it later.
“Yes, my vote counts, because you will always have that guilt feeling if you don’t,” Johnson said. “If you don’t register in time or vote you feel like you didn’t count. Who we vote into office will affect our lives.”
