Student voters can make difference in midterm elections
Many people across the United States believe their votes in elections don’t matter.
Students at the University of Idaho believe this common misconception as well. What students don’t realize is the true impact of their votes — especially in today’s midterm elections.
In the race for the governor’s office, incumbent Republican Gov. C.L. “Butch” Otter has a formidable opponent in Democratic nominee, A.J. Balukoff, compared to previous elections. Polls are showing the race to be close in Idaho, with Otter only ahead by 12 percent. In the race for the new state superintendent, polls show as little as a 1 percent separation between Sherri Ybarra and Jana Jones. A few votes could be all it takes to change the outcome for the state, a decision that will severely impact the future of education in Idaho from kindergarten classrooms to university lecture halls.
Despite this, students are unlikely to vote in the upcoming election. Out of the 38,078 people that make up Latah County’s total population, only 20,403 are even registered voters, according to the Idaho Office of the Secretary of State.
There is no reason why registered student voters should not show up at the polls today. Some students who come to UI from out of state believe they are not allowed to vote because they don’t count as an official resident. However, according to idahovotes.gov, the minimum length of residence to be qualified as a voter in Idaho is only 30 days.
Although pre-registration is closed, students can still register at the polls. Anyone who is able to present an Idaho driver’s license or identification card, or any document containing a valid address in Idaho if presented with a photo ID can register today. Students may use a current, valid student ID card from a university in Idaho with a current student fee statement that contains an address in Idaho if presented with an additional form of photo ID.
Being a midterm election, it affects everyone on a local, state and national scale. In Moscow specifically, student votes will make a large impact in the outcome of local elections. Moscow makes up a significant portion of Latah County and UI students make up about a third of Moscow’s total population. So, contrary to popular belief, a vote from a student does matter in a huge way, at least locally.
Polls are open for voters all day in the Kibbie Dome as well as the Moscow Fair Grounds.
–EB