In the midst of one of the most historical presidential elections in the country, thousands of students have become more pro-active in their communities and the campaign process. Barack Obama t-shirts, bumper stickers and buttons are in high demand. College students across the nation have planned rallies, parties and concerts in an effort to show support for Obama and express the urgency and importance of voting.
Although Obama’s message of change has birthed a renewed sense of hope for Americans and initiated massive amount of voter registration drives nation-wide, its notoriety has taken away from local politicians and overshadowed the importance of local elections.
While many students are excited about registering to vote and itching to actually get to the polls this November, less than half of those same students were aware of the local elections, and even less showed up to vote at the polls August 26.
Some students may think the local elections are unimportant because they are not natives of the Big Bend area. Students should understand that Tallahassee is home for the next few years. Issues such as property taxes and zoning in Leon County can directly affect them. Learning and dissecting platforms and plans of candidates in Tallahassee is just as important as learning and dissecting the platforms of John McCain and Barack Obama.
Kiffani Jones for the Editorial Board.