By: Katelyn Norris
Election Day is November 3. With a few days to go, Bellarmine students have already been making their way to the polls.
Sophomore Kaitlyn Kalehuawehe plans to vote in person at her local polling station. Junior Allison Andres has already submitted her absentee ballot for the election and junior Brett Ashley did early voting at the polls.
Kalehuawehe said this election will be the very first she has ever voted in and she is nervous about heading to the polls.
“I’m excited as well. I am looking forward to exercising a right that I have never used before,” Kalehuawehe said.
Andres said she thought the process of absentee voting was very simple and comforting to do due the risk of going to the physical polls right now. Andres said she has voted in previous local and state elections but this will her first time voting in a presidential election.
“It’s definitely a weird year to be voting. It’s kind of exciting voting in a presidential election. Filling in that bubble gave me a little bit of excitement because I knew my vote was going to be counted,” Andres said.
Ashley said he votes because he wants to make our country better. He also emphasized doing research on candidates before voting.
“I don’t vote among a party line I’ve voted for Republicans, Democrats and Libertarians just in this last election,” Ashley said.
Andres said she thinks it’s vital that everyone votes on or before election day. Kalehuawehe emphasized voting as an important demonstration of rights we have and we shouldn’t take them for granted.
“You should vote, even if you think it’s a waste of time or that it doesn’t matter. But it does though, your vote does matter,” she said.
Andres feels a similar way as Kalehuawehe. She said she believes everyone should vote no matter how you vote because your voice matters.
“Our generation is the one that can make the most change. We’re the ones that are going to be living with these decisions and what our leaders do,” Andres said, “I think it’s pretty essential that everyone should vote.”
Ashley said he feels people shouldn’t worry about voting if they don’t want to be political. But he also said the impact of not voting could not affect the outcome of state elections.
“Our age group is so big that we might have the ability to flip some states,” Ashley said. “One vote doesn’t make a true difference. One vote won’t change a red to blue or a blue to red. If you don’t like politics then don’t do politics its simple in my opinion.”
However, Andres refutes this sentiment. She said if everyone decided not to vote because they didn’t want to be political then no one would vote.
“If someone said they don’t vote because they don’t want to get political or they don’t want to bother, then they are only thinking of themselves,” Andres said. “There are other people who can be affected by the election, their right could depend on the leader we have.”
The election season is creeping up on us all. If you haven’t voted yet this year, in-person, or by mail, then be sure to get to the polls as soon as possible. Election season does not start on November 3, but only Election Day ends on November 3.