Campaign advertisements are invaluble to voters during election season, showing the positives and negatives of each candidate, and the policies and goals that will be addressed during their run in office. However, most of students in our generation neglect to recognize the importance of voting.
College students in today’s world are part a crucial group of voters. According to a study done by CIRCLE (The Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning and Engagement), young people with college experience were twice as likely to vote as those without college experience in the 2010 election.
Those with college experience made up about 30.8 percent of voters, while less educated young voters were consisted of only about 14.2 percent.
As college students, we have a responsibility to vote. In a few years, policies and regulations made by those who come into office in the upcoming election will have a major influence in our lives. By casting a vote, we will be able to steer their county, state and country into the right direction.
Advertisements play during every election, but they can be boring or annoying disruptions to television or internet time. This means many voters won’t take the ads seriously.
An advertisement for Pat Quinn, who is running in Illinois, features him cutting his grass while describing how he successfully cut state spending by $5 million. By using a common task to make his point, he connects well with viewers. This adds a personal touch to his advertisement, which further inclines voters to choose him over other candidates.
One advertisement features a play on the name of candidate Mark Schauer of Michigan, which presents his goals and ideals as being washed down a shower drain. This subtle joke both makes it point clear and brings more attention to itself by drawing in potential voters.
College students, and many other Americans in our age group, need to realize that their vote will decide their future.
Many refer to our generation as a lazy and uninformed one. A main aspect of this belief is the blatant lack of political knowledge. Keeping up on politics is crucial to having a successful future.
Paying attention to these advertisements and doing research into the claims they make can help our generation of voters fight these labels, and make informed decisions. Voting makes a lasting impact on the world we live in. We all need to step up, pay attention, and vote.