Go Out and Vote!

Today’s elections are certainly less exciting and prominent than the one last year, but they are no less important in shaping government. It is often said that it is our civil duty as citizens to vote. It is our American duty to make our voice heard. Therefore, we at Academic Perspective are asking you to go out and vote, and to encourage others to vote as well. We say this because you should, and we say this because we can’t. Composed mostly of high school juniors, our staff does not have the opportunity to cast a ballot. Instead, this is our only channel to speak up, and so we will use it to ask you to vote in our stead.

Last year’s energized election was marked by a historic turnout, the highest for an American Presidential race in 40 years. 132 million Americans had a say in determining who our next President would be. Tomorrow’s election may seem relatively trivial, and many people will certainly decide that voting is simply not worth it. An off-election year, only four main races have captured the nation’s attention: gubernatorial elections in Virginia and New Jersey, a special House election in New York’s 23^rd Congressional District, and the mayoral election in New York City. The governor’s race in New Jersey and the Congressional election are deadheats in the final surveys before Election Day, meaning your representative in government will be decided by how many people take the initiative to get to the polls. How many of you turn out in those areas tomorrow will dominate that night’s evening news, but more importantly it will affect your government for years to come. This applies to all elections, not merely those that the media says are bellwethers for the nation. What you decide on your fifteen minute trip to the poll will determine the leadership of your community for as much as four years. Though it may seem like a hassle tomorrow, your vote has a long-term impact.

American democracy functions only as long as we take an active part in it, which is why fulfilling our personal responsibilities to vote has become a civil duty. Thomas Jefferson wanted a nation of informed individuals whose group decisions would be wiser than those of any single decision-maker. Jacksonian policies expanded voting rights to more average Americans, guaranteeing that anyone who wanted it would have a chance to engage in the national political debate. However, it is still your decision whether you will pull that lever in the voting booth. This is a chance for you to read up on the issues a little bit, learn about the candidates, decide where you stand, and improve your nation. This past year, the tone of the political debate has grown more heated, with yelling and antagonistic rhetoric on both sides. With new media and blogs, we have a chance to speak every day, but we only have a chance to choose once every year.

Please exercise your right to vote. Volunteer to drive people to the polls who need a ride. Call your friends and remind them of how important it is. Remember, voting is a privilege not all of us possess, no matter how much we’d like it, so don’t waste this opportunity you’ve been given.

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