It is very unfortunate that voters in New York State will not have a full range of candidates to choose from. Being late in the process usually means that New York is not even competitive, and candidates rarely show commercials here, much less come to speak. Nevertheless, 2004's tight campaign is still a blessing.
Several candidates are capable of fighting and defeating George W. Bush. Even some of the candidates who are no longer in the running presented strong platforms that could have been successful. While the race is now down to four candidates, Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts seems primed to rack up a victory in New York, leading to national selection.
With polls favoring Kerry, and the notorious lackluster participation of college students, The Spectrum is refraining from endorsing a specific candidate. Instead, we are including a detailed description of each candidate's positions to help people make their decision and encouraging everyone to cast a ballot on Tuesday.
Compared to 2000, twice as many students are registered to vote on campus. Over 400 students are signed up, and hopefully all of them will turn out. Many more students live off campus and can vote in their districts, and more still should have sent absentee ballots.
Erie County allows anyone to show up on the day of the election and register, so students who live in the area and have not already voted can go to a polling place and cast their ballot.
There has been a lot of activism in the past year, over the tuition increases, the war in Iraq, and racial issues. It is time to turn those voices into actual votes. The best way to change policy is to vote for a politician willing to make those adjustments. Whatever side you are on, it is important to come out and support your candidate when given the chance.
Even though New York State Democrats can only vote for four candidates who are still actively campaigning, they can still vote for Carol Moseley-Braun, Dick Gephardt, Joe Lieberman, Howard Dean or even Bob Graham. There are many strong candidates with nuanced positions who will represent the party well, both now and in the future.
Choose wisely, but most importantly, choose.
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
