Midterms are fast approaching—and I don’t mean the exams. Hopefully, like the savvy cosmopolitan collegiettes I know you all to be, you have registered to vote. If you haven’t registered, I encourage you to register for next election season.
Why should you care about the midterms?
In midterm elections, you are voting for a man or woman who represents you rather than someone who represents the whole country. These representatives determine issues relevant to you–like your access to birth control and your maid-of-honor status at your gay friend’s wedding.
In the last midterm elections, 51% of eligible voters over the age of 30 went to the polls. Between the ages of 18-29, only 24% of eligible voters filled out ballots. Why is it that the age group most connected to education, gay rights, reproductive rights, and tons of other relevant issues are the least represented? Don’t let old guys—the largest group of voters that participate—vote for the congressmen and congresswomen that are more concerned with retirement benefits than education or marriage equality.
Important things to know:
· Control of the senate is up for grabs. As of now, there is a democratic majority. If republicans snag just six more seats, both houses of congress will have a republican majority.
· State-specific ballot issues affect your life. Some states are considering legalizing/decriminalizing marijuana, raising minimum wage, requiring background checks to acquire firearms, and so much more. Hit up http://ballotpedia.org/2014_ballot_measures and see what questions are on your state’s ballot.
· Since the last election, Russia has bullied Ukraine, ISIS became a thing (Tufts had to change its website name to SIS), and Ebola has ravished our newsfeeds. Get pumped that you live in a democratic country and can participate in how one of the most influential countries in the world deals with these issues.
The first step in becoming an informed collegiette is finding out who represents you. Go to https://www.govtrack.us/congress/members, type in your home address, and start researching what congressional spots are up for grabs.
Also, it is unbelievably impressive if you can talk politics. Your friends will totally be envious of your political prowess.
Photo source: huffingtonpost.com