An opinion piece published in The Miami Student at the end of last semester advocated for students to not vote on campus and register to vote wherever they are from. This needs to be corrected.
Miami University students live in Oxford for nine months of the year, contribute extensively to the local economy, pay state and local taxes and are affected by the laws and regulations passed in Oxford, Butler County and the state of Ohio. This is true regardless of whether the student grew up in California or down the street in Middletown. According to the Ohio secretary of state, citizens are eligible to vote in elections if they have been a resident of Ohio for at least 30 days immediately before the election. By definition, students are residents and deserve to vote in the elections that affect them the most.
One common myth is that out-of-state students do not pay taxes here, so they shouldn’t have a voice here. This is false. Every student living in Oxford (either on or off-campus) pays taxes to the Ohio government at the state and local levels. If you are a student living off-campus in a house or apartment, your rent directly contributes toward the property taxes paid to the under-funded Talawanda School District.
Students generate income for nine months each year from every shopping trip to Juniper, every beer at Skipper’s and every Walmart run. The sales tax in Oxford is 6.25% for every dollar spent on goods. That money is split between the state of Ohio and Butler County and is significant revenue for our local and state governments.
Students pay into these systems and are governed by their laws. In a democracy, we should have a say in these government decisions by voting for our representatives.
The state representative (OH-47) and state senator (OH-04) that represent Oxford secure investments and resources for Miami and influence our experiences as students and citizens. As seen with the recent fight for or against S.B. 83, those representatives greatly impact our educational experience and quality.
The decisions made at each Oxford City Council meeting and each Butler County Commission meeting impact on your daily life. That impact is much larger than the local government from where you grew up or spend your summers. The city council decides zoning, what goes where and who can do what in Oxford. Many students use the buses operated by the Butler County Regional Transit Authority to go to and from classes. These local decisions and decision-makers matter.
I grew up in a small town near Akron but moved to Oxford for college and am registered to vote here. Since my first year, I have voted for who would be on our city council and Talawanda School board, state representatives, and county commissioners. In November 2023, I cast my vote to support a woman's right to choose and an individual's ability to possess recreational marijuana. Those were important decisions that affect my daily life as a student in Oxford.
For an out-of-state student who lives in Ohio for three-quarters of the year, it is ridiculous to say it is “morally wrong” to exercise their right to vote for their representatives and their rights.
Registering to vote in Oxford is especially important this year because we will be voting for: state representative, state senator, Butler County Commissioner, member of U.S. Congress, U.S. Senator, U.S. President and a constitutional amendment to form an independent redistricting commission.
You can register to vote online through the Ohio Secretary of State's Website. You can get a paper registration form at the circle desk in Armstrong, from the ASG Secretary for Governmental Relations Mollie Duffy or if you see me walking around campus.
Voting is a right and a duty, so check your registration before Oct. 5 (Ohio’s voter registration deadline) so you can vote on or before Nov. 5. Reminder: you can and should register to vote at your residence hall, apartment, off-campus house or wherever you live in or around Oxford.
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Patrick Houlihan is a senior political science student. He is President of the College Democrats of Ohio and the Miami University College Democrats.
At The Student, we are committed to engaging with our audience and listening to feedback. This includes publishing a diverse array of guest editorials. For more information on guidelines and processes, email Sam Norton, The Student's opinion editor at nortonsm@miamioh.edu.
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