Maya Ramani: Why I Vote

Maya Ramani is a second-year and is undeclared.

“Why are you voting on November 6th?

Even though a single vote may not make the biggest impact, it still makes an impact and as someone who is privileged to live in a democracy I want to use every avenue I can to make my voice heard and partake in self governance! It is also an active way to stay involved in politics, especially on the local level- for example, the ballot also includes various referendum about projects that could directly impact my community that were new to me- the political knowledge I garner through the media is largely on the national scope, and it’s important to stay informed about the local scope as well. After all, that is the one that has a more direct impact on our lives. Voting makes you think about the how actions of all the different levels of government could influence your life, and shows that your voice could have a more significant impact than you think to induce change, especially on more local levels.

What issues are important to you?

Voting to alter the current makeup of Congress was on my mind.

How could voting be made easier?

The number one reason people do not vote is because they are not registered- we could work to include voter registration into more facets of people’s lives. For example, I hear that some colleges include voter registration in their move in process- a time before the busy rush of college begins when everyone already has to go to mandatory programs- why not make one a voter information seminar type thing where students learn about the logistics of voting in college, including polling stations, voting absentee, etc, and then also have them register to vote while they are there. Universities should also not have classes on Voting Day.