I’m sick of hearing “Why vote and waste my time? It doesn’t count anyway.”
Votes do count and I think voting should be especially important to college students. We are living the “American Dream” whether we admit it or not. We are the ones who will balance the budget in years to come, prevent future wars and maybe even mend the world’s perception of us.
If you don’t vote, you are saying that you take no pride or interest in our government. Right now Iraqis are fighting and protesting for this very right we all take for granted.
No, the government is not perfect and there are corrupt people and practices within it, but one simple vote has the power to change all of that.
As you might be aware, the election for president is coming up in November and I have decided that since we are all busy college students, I would break down the candidates and the process of the election year for you. It will shave off some time and give you a good jump on deciding who you will vote for.
I’m sure if you have even let the news pass over your ears, you have heard alot of things about primaries in this or that state.
These “primaries” are mini-elections that will choose who the Democrats will support against President Bush in the election.
Republicans will not hold primaries because Bush is a Republican and he holds the seat.
If a Democrat was president, Republicans would hold the primaries.
When all of the states in the union have held primaries, the Democrats will get together for the Democratic Convention (aka the biggest political event for the Democratic Party) and the winner of the primaries will face off against Bush in November.
To vote in the Tennessee primary, you must be a registered voter and belong to the party holding the event or be a registered independent. For example, you would be able to vote in the Tennessee primary on Feb. 10 if you are registered as a Democrat or an Independent.
Becoming a registered voter is really simple, especially with the Internet. All you have to do is log on to www.tn.state.us/sos/election and fill out the form.
Or, you can stop by your local post office to fill out the papers.
As always, declaring to belong to a party, like the Republicans, does not pigeon-hole you. You may always vote for whomever you like in November.
I registered as an Independent because it gives me the freedom to vote in almost every primary held until the day I die.
Independents are very important to the democratic process because they have the potential to change the direction of a race or take votes away from either of the major political parties.
Some good examples of nontraditional candidates are Ross Perot, who ran for president in 1996, and the Green Party’s Ralph Nader who ran in 2000.
Take the time to vote this year. You don’t have to vote in the primaries but do make an effort to vote in November. You have the power to change the direction the government is taking. Voting is the easiest way to start the ball of change rolling. The people who run our country need our votes to get or keep their jobs.
The voters are the only ones who will decide who becomes president in November and wouldn’t it feel good to know you were a part of that?

Author