Editorial: Nothing should prevent students from voting
Early voting signs placed outside of the Illini Union notified students that they could vote early on Oct. 26, 2016. The Illini Union will be the only early voting location as the request to expand locations on campus was denied by Gordy Hulten.
November 7, 2016
It seems that November is how-did-that-happen season across the country — nothing is impossible.
When the Chicago Cubs fell behind the Cleveland Indians by a 3-1 series deficit, FiveThirtyEight.com estimated the team’s chances of winning the series at a measly 15 percent. And you probably know how that ended.
On the same day, Oct. 30, FiveThirtyEight.com estimated Donald Trump’s chances of winning the presidential election at roughly 21 percent. Since then, Trump has crept up in the poll-based projections to a frightening 35 percent chance of assuming the Oval Office.
Our message: Don’t fall victim to complacency when faced with a seemingly unlikely conclusion.
If that comparison doesn’t hit close enough to home for you, the Illinois football team beat Michigan State on Saturday. Statistically speaking, a Trump win is possible. And if sports are any indicator, it could become a reality.
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If you want to use that as encouragement for your exam you’re not prepared for this week, go for it. But we’re going to use it to scare you a little bit.
As stated in our endorsement, The Daily Illini Editorial Board is with Hillary Clinton. We know that most of our campus is too; however, we know that some of you aren’t. No matter what your political affiliation, we want you to vote.
Whether you’re a Clinton or Trump supporter, even if you’re a Gary Johnson or Jill Stein fan, make time to vote. We know you know how important it is, so just do it.
That being said, we’re going to double down on our endorsement of Clinton. We wholeheartedly believe that Trump is unfit to be president.
Clinton is no longer a shoo-in. She may be leading in the polls, but not by much, and polls aren’t a perfect indicator of an entire nation.
So please don’t say that your vote doesn’t count. Don’t say that you don’t have time to vote or that you forgot. Know your worth and make it a priority to cast your ballot.
If you were “Feeling the Bern” and felt your soul crushed when Bernie didn’t win the nomination, that’s too bad — but you should still vote, even if it’s not for the presidency.
And vote with some common sense, please. Voting for a candidate whose views you don’t understand or don’t believe in just to protest Sanders’ loss is irresponsible. Sanders has even said so himself.
And this should be a reminder that one presidential term is as long as the typical college career. If you’re a senior, think about who you were four years ago and how much has changed. It truly isn’t that hard: make a plan to vote, start your day with a positive attitude and bring an umbrella just in case.
Four years is too long for our nation to be stuck with a monster in the Oval Office because you didn’t vote.
