Are You Registered to Vote?
October 4, 2016
The 2016 Presidential Election is right around the corner, and so is the voter registration deadline. Are you registered to vote?
Every Tuesday and Wednesday, the Political Science Club has a table set up in the JBK where students can register to vote. Students can also go to the Elections Administration Office in Downtown Canyon to register to vote as well. The deadline for registration is October 11th.
Claudia Stravato, a political science instructor, says that voting is a right that has been fought for many times in many wars.
“As U.S. citizens,” she says, “it’s our duty to vote.”
Stravato, who also serves as the advisor for the Political Science Club, says the goal of the organization is political awareness and getting people to vote. They want to make sure people know what they are voting for.
Since many students live on campus, Stravato says the easiest place for them to go vote is at the Randall County Justice Center, when it comes time for the elections on November 8th. The Randall County Justice Center is located on Russell Long Blvd, across the street from Stafford Hall.
Stravato thinks that most students are well prepared for the upcoming election since there has been a lot of it on TV.
“When you have a reality TV star running, everybody is interested in what he might say or do next. It makes for an unusual level of interest, especially since he is on TV all of the time saying and doing unorthodox things,” she says.
In case there are people who are still questioning who to vote for, Stravato says the League of Women Voters will be handing out voter’s guides at local grocery stores and libraries. The voter’s guides give the pros and cons on each candidate, given where they stand on certain issues. Stravato says this is the most unbiased resource to use because all of the candidates were asked the same questions, so there are equal pros and cons. Otherwise, people can go online to each candidate’s website and it will give their positions on the issues as well.
Stravato says this year is going to have one of the largest turnouts this country has ever seen. She says in Texas alone, we are projected to exceed 15 million registered voters, which is 1.2 million more than in 2012. She says that it is going to be a lot easier to vote now that the Supreme Court ruled that Texas has had very narrow voter ID laws. The state has now expanded their methods of identification from the traditional passport, concealed carry license and drivers license. Now, you voters can bring copies of paychecks, bills, bank statements and identification cards issued by a motor vehicles office.
Stravato says this is the most unusual presidential election we’ve ever had and she is seeing a record breaking number of students stopping to register to vote.
She says, “the increase in registered voters we are seeing right here on our campus shows that WT students are interested in the election and know who they want to vote for, and that’s a good thing.”
Zach Martin, a senior broadcast electronic media major, says he plans on voting in this upcoming election because he thinks every vote counts.
“Some people say that your vote doesn’t matter much in the grand scheme of things, but they’re wrong,” he says.
There aren’t many students aware of the two other candidates running in this election as well. Jill Stein, Green Party, and Gary Johnson, Libertarian Party.
Zach is one of the students who does know about the third-party candidates, but doesn’t think that either one of them has a legitimate shot at winning the election. Some think that neither Stein or Johnson have near enough popularity to win this election in November, despite their views of certain issues.
“A right left unexercised is easily lost,” says Micha Palmer, a junior general studies major.
Palmer served as a combat medic in the U.S. Army for 10 years with one year deployed in Iraq. He feels that voting is what gives us a voice in the elections and also shows how our values are aligned.
He is a registered voter and thinks that this election is even more important due to the open seat on the Supreme Court, since the President nominates that position.
Palmer says, “If you don’t vote, you have no right to complain about the President.”
