By The Poly Post, Oct. 22, 2024
What comes before us in a matter of two weeks is a pivotal moment in our lives, not just as students but as members of this country. Millions of Americans will make a decision that will impact us for generations.
Please vote. More than ever, we must pay attention.
The deadline to register to vote has passed, but you can still vote through Same Day Voter Registration. Keep in mind there are select polling locations that offer this in the state of California.
Election Day is Nov. 5. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mailed ballots should be postmarked on or before Nov. 5 but no later than Nov. 12; it is recommended to mail a ballot by Oct. 29.
There will be polls located in the BSC on campus. Pomona offers locations in the city hall, select schools and cultural centers.
Depending on where you live, county elections are also being held. Voters often overlook these elections, but understand your silence can hinder your community’s ability to thrive. As a member of your community, one in which you call home, have empathy and act — if not for yourself, do it for your neighbors.
Local elections determine the integral structures of education, criminal justice, judiciary, governance, infrastructure and finances in your community. Most politicians start at the local level. Gov. Gavin Newsom was first elected mayor. Sen. Alex Padilla was elected to the Los Angeles City Council as council president.
And don’t forget about the props. Ten propositions are on the ballot this November with topics surrounding the raise of the state minimum wage to $18, climate, reaffirming the right of same-sex marriage, affordable housing, indentured servitude in state prisons, school bond, allowing local government to impose rent control, tax on health care, increasing penalties for theft and drug trafficking and patient spending.
Register. Research. Vote.
Voting is a privilege, not just a right. For some, it’s a birthright. For others, it’s beyond the bounds of possibility. Countries around the world struggle; if national elections are held at all, they can entirely be unfair and unfree.
In Venezuela, most electoral institutions fall under the influence of Nicolás Maduro, who illegally claimed the presidency despite global condemnation of a rigged election. Atop an ongoing humanitarian crisis and dictatorship that affects the citizens of the country mostly every day, the act of voting becomes difficult. In Cambodia, constant repression of the political identity of its citizens is prevalent. Opposition of the ruling party is unheard of, and when there is a slight resistance, violence becomes retaliation.
At Cal Poly Pomona, we are highly encouraged by our faculty and student body to use our voices. Regardless of values, beliefs and political identity, we are told to vote.
Now is not the time to be indifferent. Indifference hinders the democratic process, and the only way for a democracy to function is through the actions of its people.
As residents of California, we also must recognize the ease of voting in our state. In the last year, other states have made an initiative to create restrictive laws that harm the due process of voting. For most of us, we have the comfort of registering to vote online and walk to polling locations on campus to submit our ballot.
As a student-run newspaper, we wholeheartedly value the right to use your voice and recognize the world around us may not have as much accessibility to do so.
We ask you to do the same. This young American generation is loud and unafraid. We actively protest war, injustices and prejudices around the world. Civic identity is often proclaimed and exercised publicly on social media. During social change, we are never quiet, both offline and online. This generation has the power to change the future of this country.
Voting is not a chore. It is an emblem of our freedom. Apathy infects the democratic system that gives this country the freedom and livelihood of its citizens.
Feature graphic by Ava Uhlack
