Image from Presenter Media
By Jonah Marshall, Staff Writer
The Illinois midterms have been competitive this year with the Republican race for Governor and an open US Senate seat.
We asked students at Moraine to give their thoughts on voting in the midterms.
The importance of voting from Moraine students
Some students at Moraine believe that the way they can do their part as students is to vote.
Leyla Toledo, 19, business major, believes that voting in the midterms is important for Moraine students.
“I think a lot of people tend to think that if they only vote for the Presidential election they…think they are doing their part,” Toledo commented.
“Yes they [Presidents] have influence on our country, but so do…the people we elect to Congress,” Toledo commented.
When asked why other Moraine students should vote, despite feeling that their voices aren’t being heard, she replied “We’ve seen what the effects of people not caring or assuming that their voice doesn’t matter. We have elected the same person [Trump] that’s caused a lot of damage to our country twice,” Toledo said. “I think people should take it very seriously and now’s not the time to think that your voice doesn’t matter, especially when now everyone’s given a platform due to social media.” Toledo believes that by doing some research on the candidates, she is doing her part as a voter.
An 18 year-old anonymous Engineering student gave their opinion on why it’s important to vote in the US. They are currently not registered to vote because they are not a US citizen yet. We are not namin them to protect their identity. “In America we have the choice to select who’s going to run our country and our states and if you don’t vote you are neglecting that privilege that you have,” they commented.
Xander Barton, 18, freshman, gave his feedback on why he thinks students don’t vote.
“I feel like they’re tired of it since they’re… always hearing about it…They…try taking a step back… ‘I don’t want to hear this anymore; it just stresses me out.’ That just means they’re actively letting things happen which may not be for the best.” Barton said.
Barton also gave his view on why he thinks voting counts. “I believe it’s really how we… can show what we want for the country. In college a lot of people say they don’t feel like it’s necessary for them to vote [but] we need to vote in the younger generation. Votes add up; every vote counts.”
Esmeralda Delgado-Mendoza, freshman, architecture major. Gave her view on voting. “I think overall it is important for Moraine students to vote…Because…we are in a stage…where we can actually do something, we are aware, we are able to learn what’s going on around…We can shape [and] share our ideas,” she said. “It’s a good way to express yourself, your opinions..for the community.”
Julian Mora, a 19 year-old business major commented on why our generation needs to vote. “I feel we should be stepping up because we’re the future generation. I feel we should be doing more to benefit the world.”
Some Moraine students do not see the point in voting
Take nursing major Katie Kois for instance when she said, “I’m not a political person and it doesn’t affect me.”
Crystal Solis, 18, echoes a similar stance, “Whatever’s going around right now is not affecting me, and when it does affect me, I have to make my choices.”
Solis went on to say that “If people really want something to change and there’s a good amount of people who agree with that and I see that…could be true and that it’s worth it, then I would vote.”
But there are a good amount of people who want to see change. In October nearly seven million Americans organized 2,700 protests for the “No King’s” day to show their anger towards the Trump administration. There were over 30 protests across Chicago. During the Obama Administration, Tea Party protests that Republicans organized opposed the Obama administration and wanting lower taxes. Thousands of people turned out in different places across the country.
Why voting does matter from Political Science Professors at Moraine
While some students have doubts about voting, it is important to focus on other statements made on voting: every vote counts, your vote is your voice, if you do not take advantage of voting, you ignore your duty as an American. Many of these remarks were not just made by students, but by Political Science Professors.
Political Science Professor Dr. Deron Schreck explained why students may not vote, “[students] don’t find that… there’s…a result that benefits them directly,” Schreck said, “so why…participate.” Schreck went onto explain why Gen Z does not vote. “There is a feeling of…apathy, such as why bother…there is a feeling that it seems like the older generations continue to run things and younger generations don’t have the leadership…they don’t have the leadership that…they believe would listen to them.” Schreck then went onto explain why that is an issue. “If you don’t participate you get the same old, same old candidates running things.”
Professor of Political Science Kevin Navratil further explained why young people do not vote. “18 to…22-year-olds are busy with school; they’re busy with…perhaps working…and they don’t have as much time to maybe spend following politics, especially compared to the…60 above cohort.”
Navratil went onto explain another theme in why voting turn out is low with Gen Z. “When you become 30 plus and you have a family and you’re paying more in property taxes and income taxes, I think people see more clearly the impact on their everyday lives and because of that, are more likely to vote.”
Voting matters
Your vote is your voice. It does not matter if you are just one person. There are some elections that come down to a single vote. In 2005, current Senator John Fetterman (D-PA) won the Democratic primary for Braddock mayor by one single vote. Fetterman then went onto win the general election and is now a current US Senator. One can infer that if he never won that Mayor’s race, then he would never build a platform or have the ambition to run to be a US Senator.
With that in mind, young people at Moraine staying home for the midterms adds up, and if we decide to choose the ballot over the couch on March 17, then we can help make a difference and have a brighter future ahead of us.
