The Optimist
  • Home
  • About
    • Advertise
    • Policies
    • Staff Contacts
    • Jobs
  • News
  • Sports
  • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Editorials
  • Multimedia
    • Photo Galleries
    • Videos
  • Features
  • Print Edition
    • The Pessimist
    • Special Projects
  • Police Log
  • Classifieds
You are here: Home / Opinion / Editorials / Research, register and remember to vote

Research, register and remember to vote

October 4, 2006 by Optimist Editorial Board

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.

Filed Under: Editorials

Other Opinion:

  • Tariffs are the last thing struggling students need

  • Gen Z won the election for Donald Trump

  • A Swift rebuke: When it comes to politics, celebrities just do not get it

About Optimist Editorial Board

You are here: Home / Opinion / Editorials / Research, register and remember to vote

Other Opinion:

  • Tariffs are the last thing struggling students need

  • Gen Z won the election for Donald Trump

  • A Swift rebuke: When it comes to politics, celebrities just do not get it

Follow us online

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Optimist on Twitter

Retweet on Twitter The Optimist Retweeted
optimistsports Optimist Sports @optimistsports ·
26 Jun

The United Athletic Conference is officially taking the place of the Western Athletic Conference in the 2026-2027 athletic year. The UAC is a joint football effort between the WAC and the ASUN but will now extend to all sports. #acuoptimist #acuathletics #wac #uac

Reply on Twitter 1938240320854008109 Retweet on Twitter 1938240320854008109 2 Like on Twitter 1938240320854008109 7 Twitter 1938240320854008109
Retweet on Twitter The Optimist Retweeted
ashleyh1607 Ashley Henderson @ashleyh1607 ·
3 Jun

My second year at ACU was full of opportunities that grew me as an individual and a journalist.

In my first year as editor in chief of @acuoptimist, we published six print issues, filmed a 3-hour live election show, and revamped our newscast, all while producing news weekly.

Reply on Twitter 1929734328445178254 Retweet on Twitter 1929734328445178254 1 Like on Twitter 1929734328445178254 1 Twitter 1929734328445178254

Optimist on Facebook

The Optimist

1 years ago

The Optimist

Video

View on Facebook
· Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

The Optimist

2 years ago

The Optimist
"Ending my college education early was always the plan for me, but the things that I have been able to see, experience and examine about ACU’s community were not. I have found immense growth in ACU over the past three and a half years, but ACU still has a long road to climb if it wants to keep catering to students as the world changes around them." To read more of this article visit acuoptimist.com or click the link in our bio. #acu #abilenechristianuniversity #privatechristianuniversity #collegestudentopinion #acuopinion ... See MoreSee Less

Photo

View on Facebook
· Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

Videos

Optimist Newscast Feb. 28, 2024

Our top stories today include a recap of The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940, the ... [Read More…]

  • Optimist Newscast Feb. 21, 2024
  • Optimist Newscast Feb. 14, 2024
  • Optimist Newscast Jan. 24, 2024

Latest Photos

  • Home
  • About
    • Contact
    • Subscribe
    • Policies
    • Advertising Policy
    • Letters to the Editor and Reader Comments
  • News
  • Sports
  • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Editorials
  • Multimedia
    • Videos
    • Photo Galleries
  • Features
  • Advertise
    • Paid Advertisement
  • Police Log

© 2025 ACU Optimist · All Rights Reserved