Our View: Be involved in your community

The Indianola mayoral and city council election was this week. The special election for Iowa Senate district 13 is Nov. 19.

You, as a Simpson College student, are a resident of Indianola and Warren County. Yes, you may come from a different hometown, but think about it. You’re going to live in Indianola for the next four years of your life and your voice matters. What happens right here right now affects you. If you didn’t get a chance to vote in this week’s election, you have one more chance.

The first step to exercising your right and voice is to vote. But you may come across difficulties in trying to vote. We’re telling you to stick it out.

Your photo identification isn’t enough. Simpson College’s residence halls don’t actually fall under the main mailing address we have as students:

  • 701 North C Street Indianola, IA 50125.

Make note of this: Where do you get your pizza delivered to you? That’s the address you need to have in order to even register to vote.

That’s not all.

Simpson’s residents have addresses falling into three different wards, meaning your voting location might be different when compared to your friends on campus.

That’s still not all.

People are saying politics is annoying with the rhetoric, advertisements and confusing policies. Who knows which candidate is telling the truth? Who knows which candidate truly cares? Don’t be the person who people talk about when they say our generation is uninformed and apathetic.

We know. It sounds difficult and seems like a long, drawn out process to submit a ballot and to fight for the truth. Poll workers will comment on how hard it is to deal with college students. Candidates will sway you. Our living situations most likely change yearly and sometimes we need documents we don’t have immediate access to, such as a property tax form.

Overcoming these obstacles is important in moving this city forward, but we’re the next generation breaking barriers in the struggles our city, state and nation’s policies might be causing us. While quiet, voting is essential in furthering a conversation about our nation’s democracy.

Don’t feel discouraged if the precinct you end up going to vote at says it can’t find your registration or if you’re struggling to register. Don’t feel boggled down by the politics. You’ve probably faced tougher battles in your life. Voting after educating yourself is just icing on the cake.