Virgin voter
Nicole Devriendt
Issue date: 12/4/06 Section: News
- Page 1 of 1
Virgin voter
By Nicole DeVriendt
Editor
On my eighteenth birthday I was so excited to be able to vote. The presidential election was going on that year, 1992. Three candidates battled it out; Republican George Bush Sr., President; Democratic Bill Clinton, governor of Arkansas; and independent candidate Ross Perot, Texas business man. I was of age and ready to vote for Ross Perot.
That was when my mother told me of the Electoral College. I refused to vote after I had found out that my vote didn't really count towards the final say in who was to become president. I wasn't upset that Ross Perot didn't win that year. I figured Bill Clinton was suppose to win if he did. I was relieved, however, that George Bush was no longer our President. Even at eighteen I knew the economic status of America was a disaster.
Needless to say I have grown up since that time. I realized on the way up that I need to exercise a right that not every person in this world has. When I seen the Iraqi people dying to go vote, literally, I decided at that time whenever there was an election I would put in my vote. I have also learned that if we vote in our House and Senate leaders we are taking a huge step towards the Presidential election. The electoral college is made up of our State representatives, each State having a different total number of representatives. We vote them in and they vote our President in. On November 7th I voted for the first time in fourteen years of having the right to vote.
I went into the location for casting your vote and I was excited. I couldn't believe I was excited to vote. I couldn't believe I had waited this long to exercise my American right. I was slightly disappointed in myself for not voting before. I did not hesitate to let everyone know I had no idea what I was doing. I did know who I wanted to vote for, I knew the issues at hand, and I read up on the proposals. All that preparation did not prepare me for the confusion of what I was suppose to do when I voted. I soon found out that they change the ways of voting all the time. Most of the people there didn't know what they were doing either. I felt right at ease, quickly. I was surprised no one had stoned me for not voting before! Everyone just wanted to be helpful.
After I had voted I went home and proudly wore my sticker that said, "I Voted", now I felt like I was in some sort of lottery. Like I was waiting for "my" candidates to win. I was excited to find out if I had voted with the majority of Michigan voters. Some I had and some I hadn't. I did learn a lot from the time of casting my ballot to the time of the results of the elections. I definitely learned to check out those proposals more thoroughly. Watch the wording that is used, one word makes all the difference in a yes or no. I've also learned to be proud of the right to vote and to exercise that right whenever possible.
By Nicole DeVriendt
Editor
On my eighteenth birthday I was so excited to be able to vote. The presidential election was going on that year, 1992. Three candidates battled it out; Republican George Bush Sr., President; Democratic Bill Clinton, governor of Arkansas; and independent candidate Ross Perot, Texas business man. I was of age and ready to vote for Ross Perot.
That was when my mother told me of the Electoral College. I refused to vote after I had found out that my vote didn't really count towards the final say in who was to become president. I wasn't upset that Ross Perot didn't win that year. I figured Bill Clinton was suppose to win if he did. I was relieved, however, that George Bush was no longer our President. Even at eighteen I knew the economic status of America was a disaster.
Needless to say I have grown up since that time. I realized on the way up that I need to exercise a right that not every person in this world has. When I seen the Iraqi people dying to go vote, literally, I decided at that time whenever there was an election I would put in my vote. I have also learned that if we vote in our House and Senate leaders we are taking a huge step towards the Presidential election. The electoral college is made up of our State representatives, each State having a different total number of representatives. We vote them in and they vote our President in. On November 7th I voted for the first time in fourteen years of having the right to vote.
I went into the location for casting your vote and I was excited. I couldn't believe I was excited to vote. I couldn't believe I had waited this long to exercise my American right. I was slightly disappointed in myself for not voting before. I did not hesitate to let everyone know I had no idea what I was doing. I did know who I wanted to vote for, I knew the issues at hand, and I read up on the proposals. All that preparation did not prepare me for the confusion of what I was suppose to do when I voted. I soon found out that they change the ways of voting all the time. Most of the people there didn't know what they were doing either. I felt right at ease, quickly. I was surprised no one had stoned me for not voting before! Everyone just wanted to be helpful.
After I had voted I went home and proudly wore my sticker that said, "I Voted", now I felt like I was in some sort of lottery. Like I was waiting for "my" candidates to win. I was excited to find out if I had voted with the majority of Michigan voters. Some I had and some I hadn't. I did learn a lot from the time of casting my ballot to the time of the results of the elections. I definitely learned to check out those proposals more thoroughly. Watch the wording that is used, one word makes all the difference in a yes or no. I've also learned to be proud of the right to vote and to exercise that right whenever possible.
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