Opinion: The Importance of Your Vote

When you think of public participation, or civic duty, odds are the word “voting” comes to mind. When done correctly, voting in elections, whether they be local or national, is the ultimate way for civilians to have their voices heard and to make a difference in their community. 

Unfortunately, many to do not express their opinion by casting their ballots at the polls, but rather bicker about the outcome of elections over social media. 

During the 2016 Presidential Election, a little over 58 percent of eligible voters actually voted, according to PBS News. That means 42 percent of the population’s opinions were not expressed. 

This trend can be seen other places, including right here at Troy University. 

Each school year, the student body has the chance to elect representatives into the Student Government Association’s Executive Board, which is made up of Troy University’s President, Vice President of Legislative Affairs, Vice President of Campus Activities, Director of Representation and Director of Administration. 

Taking a look at last year’s presidential race, President Gus Mckenzie ran against Sen. Carter Ray, who currently holds the Constitution and Rules chair in the SGA. 

Election results, from The Tropolitan, reported that 1,260 students voted for Mckenzie, while 779 voted for Ray. That is a total of 2,039 Troy University students who voted in the 2018 SGA election. 

The Institutional Research, Planning & Effectiveness office, which provides statistics for Troy University, reports that last year 7,927 students were enrolled in the Fall semester, based on the number of unduplicated students enrolled on the census date. While these statistics are from the fall semester, it can be reasonably assumed that roughly 5,888 did not vote, which is over half of the student body. 

This year’s executive election will be held March 6 from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. in students’ Troy email addresses. Remain informed and vote in this year’s executive election. This is your chance to make your voice heard. 

Troy Trojanvision News sat down with the executive candidates in a televised debate this past Thursday. Each candidate had the chance to share their platform through a series of moderated questions. The debate can we watched on their Facebook page or on their YouTube page after Feb. 25. 

For a look behind the scenes of last week’s debate, check out my story here.