With the last day for voter registration approaching, ACU students should register and exercise their right to vote in the November off-year elections. The tired of “it doesn’t matter to me” excuse has passed-with three tight state races and several main issues on the table, each student will be directly affected by those elected to office.

Consider this true story: An old farmer in a minute, rural community finishes a day’s work of plowing the fields on a local election day. Hesitantly, he walks over to the courthouse and casts his vote for Bart Smith. Walking home as the sun is going down, the old farmer thinks his vote didn’t matter in the close race. Falling asleep that night, he smirks as he thinks how insignificant the effort was on his part.

When the old farmer awoke the next morning, he walked down to the market and saw a neighbor of his, who mentioned the election in passing.

“Oh yeah,” the farmer said. “Who won the election?”

“Smith,” his neighbor said. “By one vote.”

As hokey as this story is, college students can learn a valuable lesson from it: your vote counts! For a more recent example, look at Florida in 2000.

The upcoming elections will affect the everyday lives of students even more than any given presidential election. You will see the results of state legislation much clearer and faster than national legislation.

As the messy gubernatorial race between Republican incumbent Rick Perry and Democrat Tony Sanchez boils rapidly, the outcome is not as predictable as one might think in a Republican state. So all you closet Democrats, listen up: your vote matters, too!

The same can be said for the battle for lieutenant governor between Republican David Dewhurst and Democrat John Sharp, and for the attorney general race between Republican Greg Abbott and Democrat Kirk Watson.

The last day to register to vote is Oct. 7; election day is Nov. 5. Here’s your challenge: register by Monday, and take the month after to become educated about the candidates. Then cast your vote Nov. 5.

Because as the old clich‚ says: it ain’t over ’till the final vote is counted-yours should be there.