VOTE! VOTE! VOTE!

The primary election in Pennsylvania is on April 28. Democrats and Republicans will be heading to the polls to vote for who they want on the ticket to lead their party. The Democratic party that once had more than 20 candidates is now down to Bernie, Biden, and Gabbard. The Democratic candidates are battling to find the balance within the party between issues of health care, student debt, and foreign policy, among many other issues. While the candidates differ most on the types of policies they stand for and how far left they are on the spectrum, the Republican slate is dominated by President Trump. Tensions this 2020 cycle are incredibly high, and as students in college, many issues and policies affect us. 

As college students, we have the right to demand our voices and opinions get heard. How do we feel about student debt? Would a free public college system help the student debt crisis? Would having free community college help? Or simply keep the system the way it is? As students right now, we are affected by this one issue, and it is very important to vote during the primaries for the best candidate that you believe will help our nation. 

The youth generation makes up about 31% of the United States population, yet during the 2016 election, only 19% of youth voted! We have heavy influence within our democratic system, and it is important to make your voices heard. Whether you are a Democrat or Republican (sorry, Independents, you cannot vote in the PA primaries), it is crucial for us as college students to vote. For those who are on campus and have their lives at Arcadia, our polling place is the Westminster Seminary, located on 2960 Church Road (and Willow Grove Avenue) at Van Til Hall, Glenside. 

For those who still have their housing addresses back home, whether that is in Pennsylvania or Texas, make sure to get an absentee from your state. It is 100% free to get an absentee ballot mailed to you and sent out, and it is your legal right to do so. But before doing any of this, make sure you are registered to vote. This process of signing up takes less than five minutes and once you do it, you’ll never have to do it again. The deadline to register for the Pennsylvania primary is April 13, so don’t procrastinate.

Growing up, I was very aware of the political climate due to the position I was in as a young, Pakistani, Muslim girl. I knew how much my life depended on the laws and decisions that were being made by my local politicians all the way up to the President. That is why during the 2016 election, I decided that I would be more involved in politics. Since I was a child, I participated in campaigning and door knocking for candidates that I believed in.

Political action does not have an age, and while voting does, it is important to use our vote in order to make the impact and change for us and the future generations.