The State News would like to challenge MSU students to try something new: Vote in the upcoming East Lansing elections. Student participation in past elections has been pathetic and embarrassing.
Now, with uproar over issues such as the new noise ordinance, students are being given the chance to make their voices heard.
If students want city officials to take them seriously, they should register to participate in the election.
Taking the time to register - and then actually voting - shows students are willing to act and not just complain.
The deadline to register for the East Lansing election is Oct. 6, leaving residents only a few days to decide if they want to be able to cast their votes on issues such as the re-election of current city officials and the elimination of city primary elections.
All of the city officials on the ballot are running without opposition.
Less than 100 ballots of the 4,034 ballots cast in the 2001 city elections were from student voters. City and campus officials are hoping there will be a better student-voter turnout this year.
According to City Clerk Sharon Reid, the low student-voter turnout in 2001 reflects a trend among the college-age population. "In general, students in the 18- to 25-year-old category have a lower voter turnout than those who are older," she said.
Ironically, voter turnouts are higher for national presidential elections than they are for local government elections which have a more intimate impact on the community.
It should be the other way around - voters should be running to cast their ballots for the issues in their own backyards.
Unfortunately, in past years, students who actually wanted to vote ran into problems with the voting process in East Lansing.
Student voters in the 2000 election were faced with obstacles because many weren't aware that new legislation required that voters' addresses on their driver's licenses match their voter registration cards.
As a result, city and campus officials formed the You Vote initiative, a program aimed at providing information to students on voting procedures and rules, as well as educating them on legislation and the candidates on the current ballot.
The You Vote initiative shows that there are people out there who want to help students get out and vote.
As citizens of East Lansing, students need to rise up to this challenge and show that they, too, are willing to put in some effort to make their voices heard.
There has been plenty of outcry recently from the MSU population, complaining that city officials are not paying attention to student opinions when it comes to sensitive issues such as the new noise ordinance.
As American citizens, everyone 18 and older has the right to vote - so those students who truly want to be heard should exercise that right.
So get out and register to vote. Go on. We dare you.
