Across the nation, college students are reminded that we are the least likely to vote in political elections. Political apathy is our legacy, as less than half of the 18-24 year-old age bracket votes. Coupled with the nationwide epidemic of political apathy is Fairfield’s renowned student apathy. This is not the time to assert that our vote doesn’t matter, though.
We’ve heard that this is the most important election of our times. However, this is pure conjecture; we have no idea what’s going to happen years from now. This election appeals to sensationalism because of the war in Iraq, but for college students, we should be voting on the mundane issues.
Right now, most college students are dependents that have the right to vote. In other words, before we have to concern ourselves with rent, taxes and jobs, we get to decide on the policies that will affect us when we do become independent.
Moreover, Fairfield students in particular are affected by policies because we attend a private university. Three out of four students at Fairfield are on some form of financial aid, and many have Perkins and Stafford loans. The government’s management of the budget directly affects those types of loans.
There are many excuses that students use to justify their inaction. Simply because an absentee ballot may take awhile to fill out is not an excuse. Nor is the stereotypical cynicism towards the political system. If you don’t like the political system, then you should try to change it by going into politics. If you’re not willing to do that, then voting is the only way you can affect any change at all.
At the FUSA elections last semester, about one third of the student body voted. That was a relative landslide in an election that, in the long run, is not going to affect students as a national election would. Take the example of the FUSA elections and transfer that to the national level.
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