Today is primary Election Day in Arizona. Have you voted yet?
Voting in the primaries is like being handed the study guide for the final exam on the first day of class. It’s the first step to putting the general elections into perspective as well as being proactive about your future. With general elections around the corner, and Halloween candy already on display, time for you to familiarize yourself with the candidates and their positions on some of the most important issues to face Arizona in a long time is running out. You know, in case you’ve been under a rock for the last five months.
Unfortunately, the ASU Morrison Institute for Public Policy found that the percentage of Arizonans voting in primaries has declined since 2002. Worse yet, the institute found that Arizona has the lowest voting participation in the country, with only 23 percent of eligible voters participating in the primary election in 2008.
We also rank among the lowest states in terms of the youth vote, with a measly 7 percent of those younger than 30 turning out in 2008. Without the hype of a presidential election this year, we can expect the turnout to be even lower.
That’s unfortunate considering the vast majority of the potential 4 million voters is throwing away its chance to shape the state’s leadership and future. It’s also one of the biggest reasons the student voice goes largely unheard in government, no matter how loud it may be.
The primaries are vital in choosing the ideological make-up of the candidates running in the Nov. 2 general election.
The expectation for this year is significant Republican gains in Congress and possibly a rightward shift in the Republican leadership of the state. The primaries will also give us a clue as to whether or not the steeping Tea Party movement is ready to be served.
In this light, it’s important to consider who is the best steward of the values you want to see in the government. While every candidate may tell you they stand for those qualities that matter to you most, we encourage you to do your research and find out who can best deliver on their promise to work for you.
The registration deadline to vote in today’s primary has passed, but you still have until Oct. 4 to register to vote in November’s general election.
While our tone may change after we’ve been stopped every three feet on the way to class by people asking if we’ve registered to vote, we’ll tell you now you should take a minute of your time to sign up. Perhaps the best plan to avoid those campus lurkers with clipboards is to go to the polls now and carry your “I voted today” sticker everywhere you go.
