Voting gives people the ability to choose who is in office and a voice in politics, acting as the pinnacle of a democratic government. 

During election years, people need to be well-informed about who they’re voting for. If Augustana were to show students resources they could use to make knowledgeable decisions, it would help people better understand how voting is integral in America. 

As a First-Year at Augustana at the time of the 2020 presidential election, it was my first time voting. Since I didn’t have experience with politics, I wanted to know everything I could. 

There wasn’t much information that Augustana had regarding voting in Rock Island, and since I’m not a permanent resident, I questioned if I could even vote in-person. 

It was only after doing my own research on the Illinois voting registry that I realized I could still vote even if I’m not a resident. 

This could also be done through “Polling Place Lookup” according to Quad-City Times, where all you have to do is input your five-digit zip code onto the Illinois State Board of Elections website.

While non-residents can vote in the Quad Cities, students should vote in their hometowns because they will have a greater personal connection. 

Meaning, they are more likely to vote for things that would affect their community, as people have a special relationship with the town and or county they live in. 

Cook County, a community I call home, had implemented a new tax on its residents involving sugary drinks. The Cook County Sweetened Beverage Tax detailed that on “November 10, 2016, stores had to charge $0.01 per ounce on the retail sale of all sweetened beverages in Cook County.” 

With this new tax put in place, residents were outraged at the new unnecessary cost of buying a soda, and with the fact that it only affects those living in the county. 

Cook County’s short-lived “soda” tax was put in place to help reduce the risk of diabetes and other health concerns, said a study. While this did better the community, this tax was repealed by residents after only a few months. 

Another example is the recent election for a new Chicago mayor and how everywhere you looked, you’d see ads for the election.

Those ads were made in the hopes of encouraging people to vote for the candidates so that when they’re elected into office, they can have the ability to implement new laws to help their community. 

Another problem students may face is difficulty transferring their information from their hometown to register at a voting booth in Rock Island or the surrounding area. 

The documents needed in order to register for voting may be sitting at home or students may have a hard time figuring out how to properly register in a new location.

Even if there were resources available to students, this may not have a large impact on them voting in local elections, but it would make it easier for those who do. 

If students have greater access to information and the ability to vote in local elections, it is less of a hassle and emphasizes the importance of voting. 

Having a place where students could be well-informed about the voting process may help to decrease anxiety as they cast their votes and impact the local community. 

If resources to provide information about participating in local elections were readily available to students, like a voting booth on campus, it would show students that voting in elections outside of their hometowns, in the community around campus does matter.