The Importance of Voting
With the November election fast approaching, the significance of voter participation has never been more critical. Each citizen’s vote plays a crucial role in shaping local, state, and national policies. With issues ranging from healthcare and education to public safety and economic development on the ballot, this year's election offers voters the chance to influence decisions that directly impact their daily lives.
Low voter turnout can result in unbalanced representation, allowing only a small portion of the population to decide outcomes that affect everyone. Every vote matters, and tight races can be swayed by just a handful of ballots. Voting serves as a powerful tool for holding elected officials accountable and advocating for meaningful change.
On August 13, 2024, President Sharon Pierce signed the Higher Education Presidents' Commitment to Full Student Voter Participation for the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge. According to Minneapolis College’s Voting Coordinator and Director of Student Life Tara Martinez, “Our Minneapolis College Get Out the Vote (GOTV) team is a diverse group of students, faculty, and staff from across the college. We have been mobilized for years. The pandemic forced us to utilize our resources even more creatively. As a result, our group expanded in 2020 and continues to grow today.”
Hassan Qais As-Sidiq, GOTV Student Worker and Community Partner, added, “At Minneapolis College, we're focused on helping everyone understand the importance of voting and civic engagement. We're excited to create spaces where our community can learn by doing and feel empowered to take part in the democratic process. By working together in partnership with community-based organizations and municipal agencies all committed to bridging gaps that allow disparities to cause barriers, we can give students and community members the tools they need to make informed decisions and create the changes they want to see.”
Several updates have been made recently to Minnesota elections and voting, including that all materials are now available in 11 different languages on the Minnesota Secretary of State website. “We want to make sure our college community knows the voting process and deadlines. Partnering closely with the League of Women Voters Minneapolis, LeadMN, and the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge, we strive to inform our campus community members of the election resources available to them, so that all eligible U.S. citizens can get registered and carry out their vote on November 5,” said Martinez.
Go to the Minneapolis College Votes webpage to find helpful information about voting and learn about campus voting-related events.