It’s coming!
I am voting for the first time this year. I could have voted 4 years ago but did not understand the importance of my vote, or take the time to become knowledgeable of the candidates or issues. This year I have taken the time to do just that. For COM416, my Public Relations capstone, we are working throughout the semester to create an information campaign about a political issue. The issue I have been researching for this semester is Education (the No Child Left Behind Act, charter schools and vouchers) and during my research I became extremely interested in reading what Barack Obama and John McCain had to say about all of these issues.
I understand why I did not vote when I was 18, and why I find it so important 4 years later. I am not saying that the issues and voting were not important 4 years ago, but I think a person can grow up so much in 4 years. I understand more about the government and more in general now than I did when I was 18, but also I will be graduating soon and taxes, job opportunities and other things are so much more relevant to me now.
Something else I have found interesting through all of the debates and campaigning is how different my family feels about each of the candidates. My family is completely split between the two and I love the heated conversations we get into about each of them.
Personally I will be voting for Barack Obama and am very proud to say so. I think there definitely needs to be a change in the United States and I think he will give that to us. Either way you plan on voting, I think it is great that you are doing so. It is so important and obviously it can change the future of this country.
(I have also really enjoyed celebrity PSAs like Five Friends and Tina Fey’s amazing impersonations of Sarah Palin.)
Julie,
I think that is a great message that you delivered. Voting is important and less than a week the nation will decided one of it’s most crucial elections season in the history of the United States. Great spotlight! Keep it going!
Anyone who has ever taking a fall course from me has heard (or suffered through) my take on why it’s important to vote … especially at a school that is state-funded! But I think your third paragraph may sum things up more succinctly than I could.