As the 2024 presidential election nears, college students must prioritize participation in the election through voting.
Our Duty to Vote
Dr. Nathan Orlando, assistant professor and chair of the political science program at Benedictine College, comments that US citizens have a right to use their voices and engage in democracy. Furthermore, succeeding from these rights are certain duties that we as citizens have.
“Rights come with corresponding duties,” Orlando said. “As it is our right to vote there is a corresponding duty to vote and be informed about the issues.”
The fact that US citizens can even engage in democracy and have a say in the state of the country is a privilege, according to Orlando.
“How special it is that we live in a time and place in which we can have a say on who governs us and under what laws. It is a rare opportunity and a rare privilege that we ought to take advantage of to the fullest extent,” he said.
The New Generation
Generation Z, which will make up over 40 million potential voters, is embracing this duty. According to the Harvard Kennedy School, approximately 53% of Gen Z are claiming that they will “definitely be voting” in the upcoming election in November, which is a notable increase from earlier years.
This notable increase is likely a consequence of the mass amount of political information that is accessible, according to Orlando.
“It seems to be the case that politics have become more unavoidable than ever before,” Orlando said. “Gen Z grows up surrounded by social media and 24/7 news to the extent that politics and political involvement are almost inescapable. And that is a good thing because it forces Gen Z to get more involved and see themselves as members of a political community.”
At Benedictine College, students in the Ravens Respect Life Club are actively participating in politics as well. Elizabeth Peterson, a junior and president of the club, shared that a goal of the club has been to encourage students to vote in the election by running a non-partisan voter drive.
This past week, students of the club stationed themselves outside of the cafeteria and registered many students to vote. Peterson believes that this was a worthwhile investment of time because the club was able to help students embrace their duty to vote and take responsibility for this country.
Challenges Preventing Students from Voting
According to the Fair Elections Center, research shows that some states have been suppressing the vote of college students. For example, bills are being passed that make student IDs an unacceptable voter ID to prohibit polling sites on college campuses.
According to Orlando, the nature of being a college student and living away from home will make it substantially harder to vote, however, students must put in the work, be proactive, and request an absentee ballot.
“This is an opportunity for students to demonstrate how important exercising the franchise (voting) is by their voting and planning,” he said.
Thus, as Election Day approaches, let students embrace both their right and duty to vote and go to the polling stations.
