OU Students Encourage Voters to Research Candidates
By: Delaney Ruth
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ATHENS, Ohio – In a time when voters see themselves as red or blue, liberal or conservative, many approach balloting by blindly voting on straight-party lines, not concerning themselves with what a candidate actually stands for.
But one Ohio University student is asking her fellow students to be more thoughtful when casting their ballots.
“Don’t just vote because someone said something,” Jilly Anderson said. “Don’t just vote because you saw a sign and your friends think it’s cool. Do you own research. You are better off voting for something that’s different than everyone that you strongly believe in than not knowing what you are voting for.”
Anderson is a fellow for Campaign for Ohio, a Democratic organization that coordinates events to raise voter awareness of candidates’ positions. In the weeks leading up to the mid-term elections, Anderson sat outside of Baker University Center helping to register 2,000 new voters.
Student Alison Ezell was one of those who registered. Ezell said she doesn’t want to waste her opportunity and her right as an American citizen.
“Young adults make up 20 percent of the population, and in the 2014 election, only 17 percent of young adults actually voted, which is kind of embarrassing for us,” she said. “People fought for our right to vote, so why not take the opportunity.”
Anderson said Ohio University students appear to be passionate about voting in this year’s elections and using their voice in selecting both the officials who will represent them and deciding on the issues on this year’s ballot.
Early voting concludes at 2:00 p.m. on November 5. Election day is Tuesday, November 6th.