“Are you registered to vote?”
There has been a lot of talk lately about Democratic voter registration drives on campus. We know you’ve been asked time and time again but maybe no one has taken the time to explain why you should.
The 2008 presidential election was decided in NC by fewer votes than there are students at App. But this time, it’s not just a president being elected, our right to vote is at stake.
The Board of Elections, the institution that determines when and if you are able to vote on campus, is appointed by the Governor.
A Republican would appoint local republicans, like the Watauga GOP blog admin who said “Students intrude into the local politics. They not only have no real commitment to the future of our community, but they are clueless to the damage they do.”
This sentiment is reaffirmed by the blogger who said “[When] McCrory wins the students won’t matter any ways. We will take the Board of Elections and if we have a lick of sense we will get rid of that site.”
But it goes beyond idle chatter. Take this quote by Republican candidate Tommy Adams in this paper: “Personally, I don’t think that students should be allowed to vote in town and county elections unless they are from the town.”
Or Commissioner David Blust (R), who said “You may not like this answer, but I don’t like students voting in elections.”
We’ve been targeted, from bloggers to elected officials. So don’t leave your right to vote up to someone else; be your own advocate.
So again we ask: Are you registered to vote?
Liz Bennett
College Democrat