Newspapers / Fayetteville State University Student … / Sept. 26, 2012, edition 1 / Page 7
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S*ptpinbpr 2(), ‘jOlij Election 'PiiK Void:, P\)i-Students, Hj Students 7 VOTE: It’s only your future at stake! By Francena Tianer It is impossible to turn on your television or log onto any social media site without being inundated with political rhet oric. It would be much easier to just unplug and disconnect from the political atmosphere surrounding the 2012 general election, but it is not a good idea to do so. Politics is, after all, a numbers game. Note: The, following are approximations and sources are given. As of Sept. 13, North Carolina had 6.4 million registered voters. This sounds like an enormous number, but it is not. According to the projected 2011 US Census information, NC has a population of roughly 9.7 million . Of that number, approximately 7.3 million are of voting age. Remember we have 5.4 million registered voters. Iliere are a little over 947,000 unregistered voters in NC! According to the North Carolina State Board of Elections, only 70 percent of registered voters voted in the 2008 general election! So, if NC maintains at least at 70 percent in this year’s election, and add the 947,000 imregistered voters, roughly 2.8 million people won’t vote in the 2012 election. This is L'NACCEPTABLE. We still are not done with the numbers games yet. There are approximately 579,000 registered voters between the ages of 18-29 in North Carolina. I'he Pew Research Center found that these young adults accounted for 18 percent of the vote during the 2008 general education The young vote mattered a great deal m the 2008 election, but more than that, youth enthu siasm helped encourage previously non-voting older voters to register and vote. According to the Office of State Budget and "I'm lican Mitt You lazy b***** Is up economy." Hicki Minaj Management, and as this past July 1, there were 972,385 people between the ages of 18-25. This would leave a little over 390.000 unregistered college aged adults in NC alone. This is UNACCEPTABLE. Why Voting is Necessary.... (even if you don’t like ei ther candidate) • President Barack Obama and Governor Mitt Romney are our candidates for President in this year’s general elec tion. Regardless of how you feel about either candidate or their respective political parties, one of them will be the next president of the United States. You will be affected by the outcome of this election. If your lives progress according to plan, you’ll all have graduated or be preparing to graduate by the time the next election comes around. The issues that seem irrelevant, complicated, boring, or hopeless to you now, will certainly matter to you by then. Register and Vote. • Aren’t you tired of being underestimated? In the 2008 election. North Carolina saw over 5 million voters over the age of 26 (73 percent of total voters). Remember that only 7 percent of registered voters voted that year. We read, see, and hear that politicians do not bother to campaign in certain states or to certain demographics because these states or de mographics don’t vote. Don't allow yourself to be dismissed. Register and Vote. • The Nicki Minaj effect Nicki Minaj, a popular rapper, has been a trending topic for the last couple of weeks based on a line in one her songs that “im plies” that she is endorsing Mitt Romney for President. Clearly she can vote for whomever she chooses, but that isn’t even the issue. The media recognizes her pow er to influence pop culture. Pop culture is YOU. The media and our politicians rec ognize your worth even if you don't. Minaj has over 14 million Twitter followers. The 9 Repub- voting for Romney s the' possibilities sent the blogosphere, Twitterverse, and Face- book into a tailspin. You don’t find it insulting that anyone thinks you’d cast your vote based on a lyric in a rap song? Did she really have to make an announcement stating that it was sarcasm? No one was worried about that demographic of 26 and older adults casting such votes. Show them that you’re more intelligent than that. Register and Vote. • Voting is your civic duty. I know you hear it all the time, but it’s true. People died for your right to vote. Too often we think that those who came before us fought for our CHOICE to vote. They did not. Inherent in the battles they fought was the idea that we all had a fundamental right to take place in electing those that would represent us. We are all a part of this country, so why would we continue to relinquish our right to representation? Getting Started During election season, there will be voter registration drives everywhere. Those held on campus will be advertised. If you don't catch any of those, there are several places you can go off campus. Voter Registration; NC Board of Elections: 227 Fountain Head Lane Fayetteville, NC 28301 Phone number: (910) 678-7733 Voting: Absentee ballots: Contact your county Board of Elections, in writing, to re quest an absentee ballot. General Election Schedule OCT 12 Regular deadline for voter registration OCT 18 Early Voting and Same-Day Registration begins OCT 30 Absentee ballot requests due NOV 3 Early Voting and Same-Day Registration ends NOV 6 General Election ONained from ncR!f:ctionconnection.com STUDENT GO VERNh iENT ASSOCIATION VOTER EMPOWERMENTd CIVIC ENGAGEMENT INITIATIVES The Fayetteville State University Student Government Association announces its 2012 Voter Empowerment Ini tiatives. The FSU initiatives include voter registration, voter education and get out the vote programs and activi ties. FSU Bronco Debate Team - Viewing & Critiquing of Presidential Debate on Domestic Policy Oct. 3 FSU Campus 9 p.m. - 10:30 p.m. Storming the Dorm Voter Registration Campaign: Will Your Voice Be Heard? Oct. 8 FSU Campus 7 p.m. - 9 p.m. The FSU Student Government will initiate a “Storm the Dorms" Campaign to register students who have not registered to vote and to give students who have registered an opportunity to check their registration status. FSU Bronco Debate Team - Viewing & Critiquing of Vice Presidential Debate on Foreign and Domestic Policy Oct. 11 FSU Campus 9 p.m. - 10:30 p.m. Voting 101 Test Your Knowledge T4—1—I—r ACROSS 2 Presidential Race Incumbent 3 the "leff. generally speaking, platform of social responsibility and government intervention/regulation where needed 6 age at which a United States Citizen can vote 10 2012 Republican Presidential candidate 11 2012 Incumbent Vice-Presidential Candidate 12 cooperation, agreement, and compromise between two major political parties 14 the lower legislative branch in United States government, elected every 2 years 15 amendment that gave women the right to vote 16 2012 Republican Vice-Presidential Candidate 17 a national or state election - a vote to select the winner of a position or political office ID 1 a preliminary election where voters decide who will represent each party in the general election 4 the ' right", generally speaking, platform of less government involvement In private sector business 5 the use of irregular or obstructive tactics by a member of a legislative assembly to prevent the adoption of a measure generally favored or to force a decision against the will of the majority. 7 amendment that gave African-Americans the right to vote 8 generally speaking, a government party that does not side with the democrats or the republicans. They support views from both sides on separate issues 9 vote, a vote cast by a person who, because of absence from usual voting district, illness, or the like, has been permitted to vote by mail. 13 Congressional upper house of the legislature, elected every six years on a rolling cycle
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Sept. 26, 2012, edition 1
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