Student opinions on midterm elections
The Missouri midterm elections will give the Truman State University and Kirksville community a chance to vote on five statewide ballots along with federal, state and local candidates Nov. 3.
Sophomore Annie Nguyen said she is excited to see how the midterms go and is feeling optimistic about the elections. As a member of College Democrats, Nguyen said the democrats have a lot of good candidates and while there is always a sense of nervousness surrounding the elections, overall, she feels as though the stars are aligning.
On college campuses, Nguyen said she believes there is a very large misconception that voting doesn’t matter. She said she has even had a professor who repeatedly tells students that it’s irrational to vote. However, Nguyen said in times when the country has seen large changes in legislation, such as now, voting can help flip important seats.
“I think that it’s just important to fulfill your civil duty,” Nguyen said. “You’re a college student, you’re educated, you should be looking to make an impact on the future and if that’s through voting, then that should be what you do.”
Sophomore Jack Unsell said there is a lot of exciting politics going on in the United States right now, so he encourages students to look at reliable news sources and follow a few political social media accounts to stay aware. He said it’s important for Missouri residents to know what they are voting for when looking at Amendments 3 and 6 the most.
When preparing to vote, Unsell said it’s also important for students to check where they are registered, as he almost had to drive back to his hometown to vote.
“A lot of people fought very hard, so that we could have the opportunity to vote,” Unsell said. “Whoever you vote for, you should [be able to] express that right every point you can, because it’s a luxury that most people around the world don’t get.”
Nguyen said for first time voters, she recommends looking at sample ballots and to look for simple summaries on complex amendments.
