After hearing claims of wait times as long as four hours at the on-campus early voting site, I took my chances voting off campus instead. However, this is not an option for the many students who rely on an on-campus location. NC State students deserve the right to exercise their democratic rights as much as any other citizen, and should be given the time to do so. The solution is simple: Give students Election Day off.
Originally Tuesday was the designated voting day to accommodate for farmers that needed time to travel to their county’s election box. But times have changed and we need to accommodate for our students now. Sen. Bernie Sanders had the right idea when he proposed a bill to establish “Democracy Day,” claiming Election Day as a national holiday for Americans to vote.
According to a study from the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement, about 80 percent of young people do not vote. Creating this holiday would give citizens the time to vote, leading to higher turnouts at the polls. Not only would it accommodate for citizens who cannot take time off their jobs, but also college students who cannot afford to miss class. Frequent stereotypes label college-aged students to be lazy and apathetic toward politics. But it’s not surprising that some students do not vote when faced with unfavorable circumstances.
“Some of my friends are having to choose between skipping class to vote and missing a test review, or skipping voting for class and missing the chance to exercise their political rights,” said Ryan Dunn, a freshman studying political science.
Attending class and voting are both activities that are important to a student’s future. NC State students should not have to be forced to neglect one of these two, as either can have severe consequences. Voting can only occur during the designated days of the early voting period or Election Day. The range of days is helpful for students to find a time that works, but still presents challenges.
“With early voting you still have to work around busy schedule,” said Daniel Hueholt, a junior studying meteorology.
Students have to account for the time their transportation takes as well as waiting in line. Many students thought of Saturdays as a convenient day to vote without the commitment of classes. Unfortunately, since buses were not running continuously on that day, it prevented many students from voting.
The unclear location of the Creative Services Center and dependency on transportation only added to the challenges NC State students faced with voting. However, student organizations have mobilized to provide students with the opportunities to vote.
Student government and the Inter-Residential Council coordinated free bus rides, taking over 800 students to the polling station on Election Day. While these efforts have helped many students exercise their rights, voting should not be a process that students have to go out of their way to participate in. It still needs to be made more accessible.
NC State students do want to vote for their future. Student Government indicated that most students had voted early when asked if they needed a ride to the polls. So even if Election Day is not going to be a national holiday, we can still make it easier for students. Giving the day off would help provide time for students to exercise their rights and mentally prepare for what could be the future of our country.
