One of the biggest issues cited by college students in previous elections as the rationale for not registering and participating in national elections is the ongoing concern that “my vote really does not matter.” Let me take this opportunity to share with you why I think your vote really does matter and, in fact, matters now more than ever before.
Your vote matters because during the 2000 presidential election, which pitted then-Gov. George W. Bush and previous Vice President Al Gore, the final presidential outcome was officially decided by only 537 votes.
Only 537 votes determined the course of American and even world history for the next decade. Those 537 votes equal 12 percent of this year’s Cal State Long Beach entering freshman class. The same 537 votes equal 19 percent of our entering transfer student class this fall. More importantly, however, 537 votes equal less than 1.5 percent of our entire student body.
Your vote matters because very little has been said during the presidential debates or on the campaign trails about the need to build stronger public schools, community colleges and public universities.
During the last year, education has fallen even farther behind other issues as a national priority despite the fact that the strength of our national defense systems, the strength of our state and federal economy, the strength of our health care system, and the strength of our local cities and communities, first and foremost, are premised on the strength of our educational institutions at all levels.
Education, as a national economic priority, has fallen behind Social Security, Medicare, Iraq, Afghanistan, and more recently, has been usurped by the “invisible hand” of Wall Street, which has conveniently placed itself on the collective throat of the American taxpayers.
Your vote matters because most candidates do not prioritize the collegiate student population and the issues that matter to you due to the historical trend that only a very small percentage of students in past elections have bothered to vote.
Candidates today spend most of their time with citizenry groups that vote and give money to their elections. Since most students do not have the resources to give to political campaigns, you must use the only other leverage that you have — your vote.
Finally, your vote matters because it can be used to remind a rapidly aging America that you also have the ability to help shape a national policy agenda. Your voice needs to be heard to remind others that you can determine national issues, create new solutions, infuse innovative ideas and build new economies.
In order to vote and let your Beach voice be heard on Tuesday, Nov. 4, the last day to register is today, which you can do on campus in the University Student Union in Room 205 A, B and C — the Old Huntington Room.
Go Beach and Go Vote!
— F. King Alexander
CSULB president
Alternatively, your vote matters not a whit!!!
Insofar as G.W. Bush never actually won a Presidential Election!!!!
See:
1./ The US Commission on Civil Rights Report on the Irregularities of the 2000 Florida Presidential Election,
2./ The Rolling Stone Magazine article: Was the 2004 Election Stolen?
On the other hand, complaints about our corrupted election process can be addressed to the United Nations: 1503@ohchr.org