October 16 voter registration deadline approaches

2012 Election by DonkeyHotey

by Josh Booth – Horizon News and Features Editor

A hot topic across campus right now is this year’s presidential election. With the Oct. 16 deadline for Kansas registration coming closer and closer, people are getting more pumped for the election on Nov. 6. Which candidate are you voting for? Who matches my beliefs? Should I even vote? These are key questions surrounding the election which need to be cleared up.

Regardless of whether you’ll cast your vote for Obama or Romney, one thing is clear: students, most of whom will be eligible to vote for the first time this year, must first decide if they will register to vote in Kansas or register in their home states and vote by absentee ballot. Since each state has its own policies and deadlines, it’s easy to get confused. Luckily there’s a helpful resource: Visit https://turbovote.org/?r=hesston-college to get started.

Like most Hesston students, sophomore Matt Hershey will be eligible to vote for the first time this year, something he sees as an important responsibility.

“I’m voting because I think it is important to be politically active, especially since the decisions they make will affect my future,” he said. “I am excited to vote because it is a right people have fought for, and it’s legal for me to do so now.”

But Hershey encourages students not to make a hasty decision.

“I think it is important to understand the politics of each party before you decide who you want to vote for, and in the end realize each candidate wants what is best for the country and we should respect whoever wins the election.”

Sophomore Paul Schoenhals plans on voting for Mitt Romney. He supports Romney because of his stance on welfare and making the qualifications stricter for citizens to receive it.

“I’m also voting for Mitt Romney because he believes in less government regulation in the economy, which will then create more jobs.”

Sophomore Cameron Ponce will go with Obama.

“I support Obama based on his views of marriage equality, Obamacare, foreign affairs, social justice, care for impoverished people, and continual improvement of unemployment.”

Ponce says everyone who can vote should take advantage of this privilege.

“I strongly urge all people to vote because it supports the American system as a whole,” he said. “We often find ourselves complaining about the things going on in America, or the politicians who represent us. But it is our vote that puts them into office.”

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