On Feb. 5, people in the 24 states will vote for the primary elections. Californians, this includes you, so perk up.
This is the largest-ever number of states participating on the same day to hold primary elections for one or both political parties. But that isn't the only reason why this primary is historic. Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., and Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., are in a close race to win the Democratic Party nomination - and both aren't white men. Talk about a historic election.
But don't worry, I'm not forgetting about the Republican Party's close race. Sen. John McCain and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney (who is of Mormon religion) are close, as well, with former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee trailing behind.
Visuals courtesy of CNN
This is why voting is imperative in this election. Your favorite candidate can't afford for you to lazily decide not to vote just because you believe he or she will already win the state. You never know! The polls don't even know!
Folks: this is a primary for the books. It certainly won't be forgotten and it's appropriately being well-covered by the media.
As long as you're registered, voting is a breeze. If you're not registered, make sure you register. In 2004, 12 percent of the people who were registered to vote didn't vote, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That's one problem. Another problem is the high percentage of the people who aren't registered the vote. About 36 percent of the citizen population didn't vote in the 2004 election. Fortunately the 2004 election had a higher turn-out rate than the 2000 election, but Americans shouldn't be satisfied with that number. Thirty-six percent of American adults aren't voting for who will be their president? That's one out of three people - that's irresponsibly ridiculous. And look at the outcomes: 39 percent of Americans aren't satisfied with the way President Bush does his job, according to a Feb. 1, 2008 Rasmussen Report. If all legal adults vote, maybe the majority of Americans wouldn't disapprove of our president.Another major issue that Americans must overcome is the age gap in voters. Seventy-two percent of people 72-years-old and older voted in the 2004 elections, while only 47 percent of people who were 18- to 24-years-old voted. People my must be more engaged and active in our democracy - if young people don't vote, they're making a huge mistake. Who runs the country right now will have a large impact on our adult future. So please use the most prominent power we have available to us: voting power.
SOME VOTING TIPS:
-Get registered if you're not already.
-Make sure you know the location of your designated polling place.
-Keep up with recent stories about the candidates.
-Understand both sides of the propositions.
