The heat of the upcoming election is inspiring more and more students, of voting age or no, to get involved in politics.
Nov. 4, 2008. The day that CNN political commentator Karen Hughes has declared will be “extraordinary.” The day that will impact the nation for years to come. And the day that many MVHS students will be stepping up to make their voices heard, whether or not they qualify to vote.
This year’s presidential election, dubbed the “Young People’s Election,” will attract a record 87 percent of young voters in California itself. MVHS students are no exception to this phenomenon. Many of the students at MVHS that are at least 18 years old will be voicing their support for a candidate pair in the form of a vote and are now realizing this new level of responsibility.
“If you vote for the wrong person, then it won’t be the best thing for the next four years,” senior Steven Chien, a supporter of senators Barack Obama and Joe Biden, said. “But I believe that Obama will be able to bring our economy back to a surplus.”
Voting also brings an awareness of the many issues that are affecting America today. These issues, such as the unraveling financial crisis, war in Iraq, oil addiction, massive and growing deficit, infrastructure rebuilding, foreign policy, and global warming have sparked the interest of MVHS students.
“I’m definitely paying more attention to what’s going on now,” senior Annie Shin said. “I don’t feel as provincial anymore.”
Senior Susan Oldfield is an Obama supporter, but she thinks that there is more to voting than just showing one’s support for a candidate or a party.
“Being able to vote inspires me to keep in touch with the issues,” Oldfield said.
“But also, now that I can vote, I think it’s time I actually took up accountability for such things. We’ve had such a humiliating government for so many years, but I really think Obama can up that image.”
This year is especially significant for Oldfield because, in addition to being able to vote, she will also gain her US citizenship. Oldfield is British and voting makes her feel proud of being an American.
“From [an international] standpoint, nobody respects the U.S. anymore. I’ve never been proud of being an American,” said Oldfield. “It’s something to be ashamed about right now. But if Obama is elected, then I will be able to say I’m an American even when I’m not in America.”
In contrast to these students, the majority of the students at MVHS will not have the opportunity to vote in this November’s election. Although not of voting age, senior Ayushi Samaddar follows the election like a hawk to understand the story behind these politics and candidates. Samaddar actively debates with Obama supporters in an effort to gain support for Senator John McCain and Governor Sarah Palin.
“I feel that Obama is a lot of talk and I don’t know if he can get anything through,” Samaddar said. “And I think it’s funny when the Democrats say that Palin doesn’t have any experience, when they themselves are putting an inexperienced candidate at the top of the ticket. At home, I discuss these kinds of politics with my dad, who’s a more conservative Republican, all the time. But he’s the person who influenced me.”
Also not of voting age, senior Devina Khanna voices her support for Obama by volunteering for the organization, advocating to undecided voters over phone. This entails calling voters in states like Nevada to raise support for Obama. In addition, she has deep discussions about these issues with her family, and she even convinced her mother to vote on her behalf.
“I asked my mother if she was registered to vote, and she said, ‘Actually, I’m not,’” Khanna explained. “I was shocked; she’s been a citizen for two elections. So I registered her, told her which candidate and propositions to vote for, and it was almost like my first time voting. I felt so proud.”
MVHS students are proactively and enthusiasticly participating in this election, whether they are eligible to vote or not, and that only promises a brighter, better, and more politics-savvy future for the nation. After all, as Chien stated, “I feel great because I know that I actually have the power to change something for the country.”
