Voting can form varying viewpoints within  any group of people and the students of Ash land University are no exception. College  students often feel strongly about going out  and voting or don’t vote at all because they can’t or don’t wish to. As a member of the student body myself, I support the former. 

Voting is a means of making voices heard,  no matter what it is you may be voting on.  Whether it’s for your city, state or country,  every vote is counted to come to a general  consensus about the outcome of polls. So, if  an entire generation of voices aren’t heard,  the impact to polls can be significant and  the same generation that wasn’t encouraged  to vote will continue to feel like their voices can’t or won’t be heard.  

A fellow student who shares these same values is Caleb Cody, an Ashland University  Ashbrook scholar. 

“The young person’s vote is a vote unlike  any other,”Cody explained, “I know that  a lot of my compatriots feel like their vote doesn’t matter especially when it comes to presidential elections because of the electoral college, but every vote matters because votes  sway electors more so in local or state elections.” 

Cody continued to give his feelings about  the outcome of student voters in the next election cycle. 

“While I would most certainly hope more  people would turn up, my expectations are  pretty low,” Cody said, “But I would encourage everyone to vote because your vote is  the only vote like yours and you are the only  person who can truly argue for the outcome  you want.” 

Joined by Cody was Matthew McGonagle,  another Ashbrook scholar of Ashland University, who gave his input on the matter as  well. 

“I value the student’s ability to vote,” McGonagle said with confidence, “College is when you really start to learn values and political ideas, so you really get to make an educated vote for the first time.” 

McGonagle also expects to see student votes shown in the polls during the next election cycle. 

Voting is a very valuable right given to each and every citizen of the United States.This right is extended to college students as well, and to not participate in the vote would mean silencing your own views.