Speak Up, Speak Out discusses power of the vote
Student Government Association Vice President Mariah Urueta believes if you’re not outraged by what’s going on in the world then you’re not paying attention.
She was one of the panelists during Wednesday’s Speak Up, Speak Out forum on the “Power of the Vote.” Urueta stated that with everything going on in both America and overseas, students should be wanting not only to vote, but engaging in other activities that will help connect them to larger events.
“There are so many really intense and scary things going on in America and overseas,” Urueta said. “If we actually empathized those issues, weren’t so separated and actually paid attention to those, we wouldn’t be scared.”
The five panelists discussed the impact that students have on elections, even during midterm election years. She said students should vote even if they have other things to do that day.
“We should have this sense of urgency to vote,” she said. “Then get engaged in our community and then actively do things instead of just voting.”
SGA senator Brynn McDonnell, a Rockford senior, said she believes it is the civic responsibility of students to educate themselves about voting and common issues so they can truly make a change.
“If we look at the generation we have right now, it’s larger than the baby boomer generation. Our generation is also more progressive than any other generation,” McDonnell said. “Certain political affiliations understand this and are scared of this. They want to make sure it’s as difficult to vote as possible. They know that if students vote, their jobs are on the line.”
Meanwhile, panelist Joyce Baugh, a political science and public administration faculty member, said midterm elections are important this year. She added that statewide and local government elections are just as important.
“So much of what impacts our lives everyday is at the state and local level,” Baugh said. “We forget about other elections because we’re so focused on presidential elections. Vote in state and local elections, your voice will be heard a lot faster”
The argument not to vote was brought up throughout the discussion by Gerrit Elenbaas, a Greenville senior, because of its corruption in today’s politics.
Elenbaas said he believes that by not affiliating with a party but then voting for a third party is consenting to the broken system.
“It’s expressed that voting is the only way to express your political power,” Elenbaas said “If you’re not taking advantage of it you’re being a lazy citizen. I would just like to suggest that there are alternative ways than thinking that voting is some great form of expression. Voting is misguided.”
