People are often told to vote in local elections, but why? Why exactly are they important? Why should one person cast their vote in an election, only for their selection to get lost in a sea of votes? The answer is simple. Voting for the candidate you support can closely affect your life. Whether the candidate is for the president, the town mayor or the president of the student association, anyone who can vote, should vote.

Before casting your vote in the next election, make sure to do your research. Look into each campaign for each candidate who is running and figure out exactly what they stand for. Make your decision on which candidate to vote for based on many factors. Make sure the candidate you are choosing to support will fight for what is right. If a candidate has a platform that supports a specific issue, make sure they stand by that issue. Make sure their past does not contradict their platform. Also, do your research to make sure the candidate you are voting for has not been corrupted. If the candidate owes favors to other officials in the government body, when elected, they may be more interested in paying back those favors instead of staying true to their campaign platform and goals.

The candidate you ultimately check the box for or write their name on the ballot can and will be making decisions that can affect a number of groups. If the candidate supports recycling on campus, they may be implementing policies to enforce recycling and can make major changes on this campus. If a candidate supports universal health care, they will be working toward designing a system to create universal health care. On our campus, many issues were brought up during the SA debate, including the topic of diversity, the outreach model for SA, sustainability, funding gap between club sports teams and gender inclusive bathrooms.

In Ohio, during the 2014 general election, 21 recounts were conducted in 20 Ohio counties. Of those recounts, seven resulted in a win or loss by one vote. Your vote will make a difference and will not get lost in a sea of votes. You do have a voice, and the numbers do count.

The election for SA president on April 17 and 18 will decide who will be working to make the decisions that can closely affect this campus. When the email is sent directing you to vote on Laker Life, do not just send it immediately to the trash. Take the time, do your research and cast your vote to decide who you want to make decisions that will closely affect your life on campus.

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