EDITORIAL: Make sure your voice is heard

If you haven't votedIf you haven't votedby absentee ballot,If you haven't votedby absentee ballot,make sure to stop atIf you haven't votedby absentee ballot,make sure to stop atthe polls today. The polls will be open from 7 a.m. until 8 p.m. today, in Irvine Auditorium for campus residents and in other locations close to campus for off-campus residents. For those of you wondering just what, other than the presidency, is up for grabs, The Philadelphia Inquirer's Pennsylvania Voter's Guide is on the Web at "http://www.phillynews.com/packages/voter/nov96/pa/". The guide gives vital statistics on candidates' educational and political backgrounds, their stances on certain issues and numbers to call if you notice irregularities at your polling place or have trouble proving that you're registered. If you're unsure of the value of your vote, remember that in one of the closest elections in American history, the 1960 Kennedy-Nixon race, Kennedy won one Michigan precinct by just one vote. Nationally, JFK claimed victory by a just few percentage points. If you're still hesitant, consider an issue that hits close to home for anyone living and working in University City: crime and violence. Without casting a ballot, can you credibly complain about the lack of lighting, the low profile of beat cops, the illegal street vending in our neighborhood? Today, you can make a difference -- no matter how small you think it may be. Don't let your voice be silent.