With likely the biggest election of our lifetimes less than two weeks away, the decision of who will be our next president hangs in the balance, as well as a plethora of state and local candidates. If you are only engaging in this election because of the presidential race, or are considering not voting at all, we as an editorial board implore you one more time:
Go vote.
But before you head to the polls or cast your mail-in ballot, make sure you are well-informed on the impactful decisions you will make. Our generation has been called “stupid” and “uninformed” by actual political candidates, who think they can influence our decision by an X (formerly known as Twitter) post or a snappy ad.
Let’s prove that our decisions on Nov. 5 mean a lot more than that.
For the state and local elections, it is important to show up for important issues close to home. Many voters tend to forget that certain impactful issues are more governed by state and local politics than the national government, making local races just as important as the highly-anticipated presidential race.
While we hope this election edition will guide you in making your own well-informed, independent decision on who to vote for, it should only be a small addition to your knowledge.
In this day and age, our thoughts are constantly being diluted by different news and media organizations trying to influence our vote. Remember, we are considered the most influential group of voters in the election – try not to let biased content tip your opinions on issues. We are all well-educated college students, your best option is to open your computers and research the candidates and issues yourself.
However, it would be impractical, and incorrect, to demonize all news organizations for trying to sway your vote. In these coming days, before the election, your local news outlets will be the sources with the least amount of political influence – in other words, they are unlikely to have a political agenda in their reporting.
If you prefer larger news organizations for information on the presidential race, we recommend acclaimed neutral sites, such as the Associated Press or National Public Radio, or using a media bias chart.
Once you have an informed decision on who you are voting for, be certain that you are correctly casting your ballot. In Ohio, for absentee and mail-in ballots, they must be dropped off at or mailed to the Butler County (or your own county) Board of Elections office – no other location is acceptable to send your ballot. Ballots will be received until 7:30 p.m. on election day, but if you are mailing in your ballot, don’t wait. Absentee ballots must be postmarked by Monday, Nov. 4., and any and all late ballots will not be counted.
Rules for voting absentee or mail-in vary by state, so make sure you are aware of your own state’s rules before sending your ballot back home.
For in-person voting, make sure to search for your polling location ahead of time through the Ohio Secretary of State's website. If you are voting in-person outside Ohio, make sure to check your state’s secretary of state website or communicate with your local board of elections on where your polling location is.
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We as college students are voting for the future – a future that we will benefit, or suffer, from the most. Do not rely on older generations to vote for the world we will inherit sooner than we think. Go out and vote on the issues important to you.
The Miami Student’s editorial board is made up of Editor-in-Chief Kasey Turman, Managing Editor Olivia Patel and Opinion Editor Sam Norton, and reflects their beliefs. The contents of this staff editorial do not necessarily reflect the beliefs of the entire editorial staff.
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