Our View: We should be educated voters on election day
Election day is tomorrow and although it isn’t a large election, it’s still important for students to get out there and vote.
In a 2010 study done by CIRCLE, a non-partisan youth voting research center out of the Jonathan M. Tisch College of Citizenship and Public Service at Tufts University, it was found that only 20.7 percent of eligible youth voters, ages 18-29, come out and vote at a non-presidential election.
It’s shocking that in a society adamant about change, such a small percentage of a large subset of the population takes the opportunity to voice their opinion on election day.
Although, it’s easy to see how we can lose interest in smaller elections when most of the election coverage going on right now is for the 2016 presidential election.
Smaller elections typically only have to do with local or statewide issues, but its still important to vote because you’re more likely to feel the effects of those issues faster than you would during a national election.
It’s also important to do research before voting because some issues directly conflict with each other.
For example, Issues 2 and 3, which have to do with marijuana legalization in Ohio. Issue 2, dubbed the anti-monopoly bill, was created specifically to stop Issue 3, the marijuana legalization bill, from becoming a law. So if Issue 2 is voted into law, marijuana would not be legalized.
Preliminary surveys have shown there is a fair amount of confusion about the two bills and how they interact with each other. This could also be due to confusing wording on the ballot itself.
We at the Stater believe everyone who can should take the opportunity to go out there and vote and have their voice heard.
The above editorial is a consensus opinion of The Kent Stater editorial board, whose names are listed above.