Jesse Jackson met with students on the Set Monday to rally early voters.
Monday marked the first day registered voters in Leon County could vote early for the presidential candidate of their choice. Jackson reminded students of the importance of voting.
“The power is in your hand,” Jackson said at the rally.
The early voting rally, sponsored in part by Florida A&M University’s Vote Coalition, is meant to educate students on the importance of early voting.
Jackson, along with the event supervisors, said early voting helps prevent votes from not being counted and voters from being turned away at the last minute on Nov. 2.
Jackson not only rallied on the Set, but also took action by riding the early voting bus from the Set to the courthouse with a busload of students.
Jackson said he hopes the trend of students voting early continues because he said the students’ vote determines the election.
However, everyone does not think that voting early will have any effect on the election’s outcome.
“I may vote early and I may not,” said Jeremy Darity, 22, a fourth-year computer engineer student from Tallahassee. “But, in my opinion, it doesn’t matter because my vote is going to be counted either way.” However, others say voting early is the right thing to do.
“I was raised not to put off for tomorrow what you can do today,” said Randy Turnbull, 19, a third-year French student from St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands.
“I believe that the longer you wait to do something, the less important it becomes to you. So, I will exercise my right to vote early.”
Despite when you vote, Jackson said he just wants students to realize what their vote does.
“Our vote determines the course of this country,” Jackson said.
Jackson continued by reminding students, “Your vote determines the president, congress and the Supreme Court.”
With so much being determined this presidential election, Jackson reminded students that everyone was not interested in their voting.
“Do not let people talk you out of voting,” Jackson said.
“Do not let them take the power out of your hands.”
Jackson, who has visited FAMU twice within the last month, said Monday will not be his last day on campus rallying students. The first time Jackson visited was for the “Hope Is On The Way” tour to get voters to the polls.
Early voting ends Nov. 1.
Contact Tera Hodges at famuannews@hotmail.com.