It not only matters who students vote for, but also that students vote in the first place. Voting is a civic duty and a right citizens with all political beliefs should exercise.
Compared to the last midterm election in 2006, voter turnout on Penn’s campus was relatively flat, and the nationwide turnout for young voters was estimated to have dropped by 3.1 percent. We should expect more from ourselves.
Nobody anticipated that as many students would vote this year as did in the 2008 Presidential election — and it wouldn’t be realistic to expect that kind of turnout in a midterm election. But the election two years ago showed that young people and Penn students could be excited about voting and that voting is something young people can consider an important activity. Though the top contests have changed, at least some of the heightened voting enthusiasm should have remained.
We don’t know many students voted by absentee ballot this year, and we don’t know how many students are even eligible to vote. Regardless, there were students who didn’t vote anywhere or weren’t even registered, and this is a problem.
The student body prides itself on caring about issues impacting the community, the city, the country. Voting is another way students can make a difference, and apathy isn’t acceptable. We can do better.
