Voting is cherished right and tradition in this country. It is a right granted to us by the constitution and a tradition that has been upheld for hundreds of years. We should not take voting for granted.
Our history is full of groups that could not vote. These groups include minorities, women, and non-landowners. They had to fight for their right to vote. Looking back at these historical periods it seems very un-American not to vote. On Election Day have your voice heard. This is a crucial time in our history that you can help make it.
Before voting you should get informed. This is quite easy in the age of the Internet. Just look up on Wikipedia or some other sites on what the candidates around you stand for. Every candidate has a website detailing their views on the issues. Look on Yahoo to see news on emerging political issues. Once you do this go back to this ballot. Making an informed decision is the best way to help yourself and this country.
To the right you can see a sample ballot for the election on Nov. 6. This ballot is for precinct five in West Chester, which includes many of the students at WCU. In fact, if you live anywhere in the Borough of West Chester, your ballot will look just like the one to the right. If you are a commuter student, or if you live in other housing like the Village, the South Campus Apartments, or West Chester Commons, then your ballot may look a little different.
As you can see, the presidential election is not the only one taking place. Many other important races are taking place across Pennsylvania and across Chester County. An important race for U.S. Senate sees first-term incumbent Bob Casey, Jr. face off against Republican challenger Tom Smith. Smith was a Democrat as late as 2011, but he wasn’t your average Democrat; he was a card-carrying member of the Tea Party. Now running as a Republican, Smith has tried to tie Casey to President Obama’s record on the economy. Casey, meanwhile, has campaigned on his moderate stances on many issues. For example, despite being a Democrat Casey happens to be staunchly pro-life when it comes to the issue of abortion. A month ago, Casey had a double-digit lead over Smith in the polls but the Republican has a lot of momentum and that gap is closing fast.
Other key races are going down to the wire closer to home. U.S. Representative Jim Gerlach is facing Democratic challenger Manan Trivedi for the second straight election. Gerlach beat Trivedi in 2010 by a solid margin, but in 2012 the matchup is proving to be much closer.
Meanwhile, in a battle to represent West Chester and the surrounding area in the Pennsylvania state house, incumbent Republican Dan Truitt is facing a tough challenge from Democrat Bret Binder. Binder has tried to link Truitt to recent cuts in funding to higher education, and Binder has pledged to fight for public education in the state house. Truitt, on the other hand, has touted his record as a small business owner and a job creator.
Here at The Quad, we urge you to vote in all of the elections that are taking place this year. Look over the sample ballot to the right, and we’ll see you at the polls next Tuesday!