Voting Matters

Regardless of ideology, students and faculty should vote to avoid political regret.

Unless you’ve been hiding in your dorm, it would be difficult not to notice the presence of Democratic endorsements flocking to Main Campus lately.

On Oct. 21, hundreds of spectators gathered to witness the filming of MSNBC’s “Hardball with Chris Matthews,” a notoriously left-leaning talk show. Former President Bill Clinton accompanied senatorial candidate Joe Sestak at the Bell Tower last Thursday night to encourage Temple students to vote for the Democratic candidate.

Perhaps most notably, President Barack Obama canvassed for the Democratic ticket on Saturday at the Student Pavilion, garnering hundreds of student, faculty and community supporters and protesters.

Political activism on a campus setting is a great way to rally excitement for elections – but there’s a problem if one side is being alienated.

For Democrats at Temple, this midterm season has been one big political mixer. But for Republicans, it’s been a different story.

Temple College Democrats hosted candidates at speaking events on campus, registered voters, canvassed and phone banked for candidates as well.

Still, the College Republicans have taken part in those events in protest, in addition to phone banking at the Victory Office and canvassing for 20th ward leader Jesse Woods.

The most likely reason for the Democrats’ visible presence on Main Campus is that, simply, the polls show they’re desperate for support of the collegiate crowd – the crowd that helped secure Obama’s win in 2008. According to Politico.com, the Republicans are leading the senate race by 5 percent and the governor’s race by a whopping 14 percent.

Whether you plan to vote Republican or Democrat today, the stakes are high. And while you might be tired of the campaign ads and canvassing, it remains true – your vote matters.

According to the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement, the number of eligible voters who showed up to the polling places in Pennsylvania for the 2008 presidential election was the highest number on record in 40 years at 53 percent. That’s more than twice the turnout of the 2006 midterm elections – 25 percent of eligible voters.

The Temple News urges students and faculty to take the time to vote today. The outcome of this midterm election will determine who has control of the House of Representatives and the Senate. Regardless of which party you side with, don’t regret remaining idle after the polls have closed.

For information on how to find your polling place, visit https://www.seventy.org.