In the upcoming 2012 presidential election, many seniors in this years class will be eligible to vote. A select few will even be eligible to vote in the Republican primaries, currently scheduled for April 24 in New York state.
Even though everyone can register to vote when they turn eighteen, not everyone takes advantage of this right. In fact, in the November 2008 election, only 48% of people aged 18 to 24 voted, according to census.gov.
So what exactly are “primaries,” and why get involved? A primary is a pre-election vote to determine the party’s presidential candidate, and essentially the voter are voting for who he or she would want the presidential candidate to be.
Not all countries have this kind of election process, or freedom. In communist regimes such as China and North Korea, the people have no voice at all. Here in the United States, people have rights, yet many do not use them.
“If I were 18, I would definitely vote in the primaries.,” senior Valentina Viscardi said. “With maturity and understanding of the political system through years of social studies, I feel I’m educated enough to make a decision on who would better our nation and continue to lead us into prosperity.”
Many MHS students are in the same position. After going through years of history classes and learning about the government, there is finally an opportunity to participate and share your opinion – the question is whether or not they will take this opportunity.
As of right now, some of the Republican front-runners are Mitt Romney, former governor of Massachusetts, and Rick Perry, governor of Texas. At this point in time, it is unclear who will definitely take the nomination, and there may even be a Democratic primary as well, according to ABC. There have been rumors of Hillary Clinton running in the 2012 presidential election against President Obama.
“Maybe if the Obama record is bad enough – and these days it’s not very good, given the shape of the economy – maybe there will be enough ferment in the Democratic Party so that there will be a primary on their side,” former Vice President Dick Cheney said in a recent interview with ABC.
Those of you who are turning eighteen before the primaries should consider registering to vote. Debates are always being broadcasted on the news, where you can hear what the candidates are all about and decide who you want to represent you. It is a right and a privilege to be able to do so, and your vote counts. Get involved and speak what you believe, because the government is what the people make of it.