Kent State University students across campus anticipate voting for the first time in a presidential election, prompting a mix of feelings ranging from excitement to anxiety.
Kent State Today hit campus to talk to some students who are looking forward to making their voices heard in the upcoming election. Casting a ballot this year will mark a significant milestone in their journey as American citizens.
Joey Gregorich, a political science major, has been eagerly awaiting heading to the polls to vote in a presidential election.
“I’m a politics nerd. I always have been, so I finally actually get to do it,” Gregorich said. “If you don’t want to vote there’s nothing I can do to stop you. It’s your decision.”
But if something happens in your community or country you don’t like because you didn’t vote, then Gregorich says, "But don’t be complaining you don’t like stuff that’s going on.”
Out-of-state students can request an absentee ballot to vote. Gregorich is one of those students registered in a swing state.
“I’m registered to vote in Pennsylvania,” Gregorich said. “That’s more of a swing state than Ohio is right now, and my vote is going to mean a lot more there than it would here.”
In contrast to the excitement some students feel, other first-time voters are harboring some stress as the presidential election approaches.
Andrew Floyd, a sophomore marketing major, describes the first-time voting experience as “nerve-wracking.”
“What if I pick the wrong person, you know?” Floyd said. “You got to think about it.”
Noor Hamidullah, a junior fashion design major, expresses feeling “uncertain” about the current political atmosphere.
“I think it’s really important to research everyone regardless of which side,” Hamidullah said, “and I feel like it’s really easy to kind of count voting as something that’s not as important as other things, at least when it comes to being politically active.”
Alaina Thigpen, a junior sports administration major and member of the Honors College, shares the importance of the younger generation tapping into their right to vote.
“Since it’s a lot of our first time voting in a presidential election, I think it’s really crucial to get our voice out there,” Thigpen said. “It’s important to express our views because we are the future generation.”
Students seem to agree that voting this presidential election is every American’s duty and key to creating a culture of participation.
Despite experiencing a combination of fear and excitement toward the upcoming election, Landon Strole, a freshman business management major, encourages students to cast their ballots.
“You have to vote,” Strole said. “You have to do your part.”
Election Day is Nov. 5.
Find your complete voting toolkit at Kent State Votes.
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