On a rainy Tuesday, UNI students find themselves in a single file line outside of the Commons ballrooms. The students are all there for the same reason – to vote. For most students, it’s their first time voting. But, each student has a different motivation that drove them to the general election polls this November.
Women’s rights. Healthcare. Funding for public schools. The economy. Abortion. Taxes. LGTBQ+ rights. Inflation. These are all issues that UNI students carried with them into the voting booth on Tuesday. “I have the right to [vote],” said UNI student Karime Sanchez. “I want to vote for somebody that really wants to help women’s rights, and that’s really important to me.”
First time student voter Shamira Turks echoed Sanchez’s sentiments. “It was nerve-wracking,” said Turks, in reference to her first time in the voting booth. “I’m glad I did it … I just tried to do my research and just vote for who I feel aligns with my beliefs more.”
Student voters also expressed how convenient the on campus polling place was, making voting even easier for them. “I was kind of worried about voting, since I was lacking on my absentee ballot, and then I came here [the Commons] and changed my voter registration and everything, so thank God,” Turks laughed. Student Will Marshall agreed that the Common’s polling was incredibly accessible. “I thought I had to go home to vote, then I found out I could come here
and register here,” said Marshall. “I thought I wasn’t going to be able to vote because of it … but it was pretty easy to register here, so I did that instead.”
While students may have had different reasons they voted on Tuesday, their sentiments remained very similar – students are the future, and should vote like their future depends on it.
UNI senior Erin Murphy stressed the importance of the student vote. “We are now, like with the oldest generation fading out, the next wave of voters. Young people have the right to vote,” said Murphy. “These are the people that will make decisions in the next four to eight years, and we’ll have to live with that.” UNI student Maddie Klien had similar thoughts, “I think it’s important to hear from all demographics … students and younger people are really the ones who are going to be affected a lot by the decisions made in the next few years,” said Klein.
To some students, those who don’t take advantage of voting aren’t fulfilling their civic duty. UNI student Ryder Vallee believes that voting keeps students in the loop when it comes to national politics. “I think it’s so important to exercise your civic duty, this is what keeps students involved in politics,” said Vallee. Other students think that those who have easy access to a polling place and still choose not to vote are taking their freedoms for granted. “It’s an easy process, really,”
said Marshall. “I think the biggest thing is people are kind of lazy, honestly, not wanting to vote. This is one of the freedoms of our nation.”
Multiple students admonished on how important women’s rights and abortion were to them
going into the polling booth this November, whether they identify as pro-choice or pro-life. “Things related to women’s rights and abortion rights really motivated me to come out here today,” said Klein. Sanchez had a similar thought, “I want to vote for someone that really wants to help with women’s rights. That’s what’s important to me.”
The lines for the Commons ballrooms’ voting booths wrapped along the walls to enter the Commons ballrooms. First-time UNI voters showed up to make their voices heard and exercise their civic duty, regardless of what they believe in. Polls closed at 8 p.m. on Tuesday.
