Voting is essential to democracy and expressing our beliefs about our government. We all know this, but we often don’t follow it.

The deadline for registering to vote in the state of Texas is quickly approaching; registration applications must be postmarked by Sunday, something that everyone should be paying attention to. We strongly believe it is important that students research and participate in voting.

Voting is a right- one that people, especially college students, don’t regularly exercise. In the 2004 presidential election, only 47 percent of people between the ages of 18 and 25 voted, by far the lowest participating age group.

That was on a good year when voting was up nationwide.

The stats are almost always like that; young adults and college students are at the bottom of the voting barrel. Most don’t know why they should vote and what purpose it really serves, especially when they are attending college away from home.

First, American citizens can make a difference no matter where or for how long they live in a particular place. Age and location have no effect on what kind of a difference you can make through voting and participating in the political process.

Secondly, politicians, especially state and local, make decisions that can and do greatly affect college students from loan and money issues to local housing regulations.

Through voting, you express your interest in these things, especially in a year like this where we are choosing a new representative for our region in the state House of Representatives. Regardless of reasons, voting is something worth engaging in and a good way to get involved in the political process.

When young adults don’t vote, they are making a silent declaration that they don’t care. College students can have a profound effect on the issues debated and decided by the democratic system. If college students continue to show they don’t care, politicians will not even consider decisions college students deem important.

One disagreement among the editorial board is where a student is responsible to vote, whether a hometown or college town. It’s your choice. Regardless, you must vote.

Students must do their research. You must know who you are voting for and why. College students are probably the worst about researching candidates and the issues, but it is something that is a problem for many voters today.

Vote and know why you are voting. Know the issues. America doesn’t need any more uninformed voters casting essentially meaningless votes.