Voter registration season is upon us, and it is time to go out there and make a difference! The problem is: it seems that many people in our age range aren’t getting the memo. Historically, the 18 to 29 age group has some of the lowest turnout when it comes to voting, according to the government census. Of course, great strides were made in the 2020 elections, with the percentage of young voters participating in the electoral process rising 11%, according to Tuft’s Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning and Engagement. However, that doesn’t mean it is time to take the foot off the gas just yet.
We need to realize, as a generation, that we can influence the world around us by voting for what we care about. However, many of us aren’t as aware of our current political issues as we should be. For example, on the ballot in Louisiana this year, eleven amendments to Louisiana’s state constitution are up for vote. Of those, Amendment 7 centers on slavery. The specifics of the Amendment would be to change language that had previously made slavery legal as punishment for a crime into an exception in the case of criminal justice. It’s the 21st century, and slavery is still up for vote in the United States.
The fact of the matter is that it didn’t take much effort to learn about this Amendment. All that needed to be done was a quick search on the internet and bam there it was, along with all ten other Amendments.
As citizens and long-term residents of Louisiana, we at Loyola have just as much a say as anyone else living in this state. That is why registering to vote and then proceeding to vote is important. The Maroon has previously discussed how being aware of your local government and its actions should be a must for everyone at Loyola. Well, going out and voting is how you use the information you have gained and apply it.
In the state of Louisiana, registering to vote is actually a rather simple process. If you have a Louisiana driver’s license or Special I.D., you can register online. However, many of us at Loyola probably don’t have either of these. The alternative option, open to all Loyola students, is to register in person or by mail. In fact, it’s so easy that you can fill out a form in the time it takes to walk from one end of campus to the other, though you’d probably want to be sitting down for that. All information for these options can be found on the Secretary of State’s website.
Early voting in the state of Louisiana begins on October 25 through November 1st for the Open Congressional Primary Elections. The General Congressional Elections voting period is November 26 through December 3. In order to be able to vote in these elections, you must be registered at least twenty days before the day you plan on voting. If we are to make a difference, then the time to act was yesterday, and the next best time is now.