On Nov. 6, voting polls will open for all registered voters to decide who wins the 2012 presidential elections.
“This years election is crucial for students to vote as financial aid may be altered for the good or bad depending on who is elected this year,” said Jasmine Boone, current senior who is a fellowship intern for the Obama Campaign.
In this year’s election, President Barack Obama and presidential candidate Mitt Romney have targeted their campaigns on various demographic voters. The Obama campaign has focused their attention mostly on students and the middle-class whereas the Romney’s campaign targets on the wealthy and small business owners.
Voters believe that this year’s election is a critical election for both middle class voters and registered student voters. “It’s important for students to vote in the November election because students currently graduating need to be given a chance to become successful without having to worry about new laws put into place that may hinder our future,” said Nadhira Ratliff, a junior fashion design major at A&T.
The main issues presented in the 2012 presidential issues are taxes, health care, education, economy, and immigration. The main issue most students are concerned about is education.
Obama’s 2013 budget proposal included a 2.5 percent increase in discretionary spending for the Department of Education.
His stimulus package entailed $100 billion on education spending that reportedly saved approximately 300,000 jobs. Obama’s Race to the Top grants program amongst states promoted better school turnarounds, teacher evaluations, and charter schools.
Mitt Romney’s budget proposal focused more on cutting spending in education and consolidating the Department of Education with another agency or making it significantly smaller. Romney’s proposal suggests that more spending on education will not produce successful results in the long term.
A&T student Antwain Dawson, a senior in speech communications stated, “Education is an important issue to stay abreast on during this election as democrats are trying to relieve the financial burden on college students with loans and republicans are trying to cut student loans, and creating an even worse hardship amongst students. That’s why our vote counts.”
First Lady Michele Obama emphasizes the importance of voting and the difference that just one vote can have in many of her speeches given thus far during the presidential campaign. “From now until Nov. 6, we’re going to need all of you to work like you’ve never worked before, especially our young people. More importantly, make sure you’re a registered to vote.” Obama pleaded during her speech in Tallahassee Monday.
In 2008, Barack Obama won Florida by 236,000 votes, which constitutes just 36 voters per precinct, as the First Lady stresses to all students.
Many students do not believe their votes will ever make a difference but one vote can help prevent elections from being left to chance. Voting is a way to pay homage to those who help secure our rights, from military members to Civil Rights leaders for whom we show appreciation.
Individual students are encouraged to continue recruiting others to register to vote and participate in the elections in November.
Those registered to vote in their home counties will be able to vote by using an absentee ballot.
Students country wide should be encouraged to vote in the upcoming elections, every voice counts.
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- Brie-anne Robinson Contributor