Originally published September 28, 2000
by Adam Zurn

Incredible power can be wielded by the smallest stroke of the pen. Believe it or not, this power is given to all citizen in this country.

This is the power to change the course of human history, the power to determine the path of progress, the power to stand up and be counted. The power we speak of is the power of one, the power of the vote-your vote. So the question is, are you man or woman enough to use it and use it wisely?

Voting is not just a right or a privilege, it is your duty as an American citizen to participate in the active workings of our government. Don't fool yourself for a second that by not voting you are somehow helping the country.

In fact, it is quite the opposite. Your vote couldn't matter more. One vote gave Adolph Hitler leadership of the Nazi party. One vote saved President Johnson from impeachment. One vote brought Texas into the Union. One vote gave Oliver Cromwell control of England. One vote authorized the execution of King Charles I. As you can see, one vote does matter.

Everyone who can vote, should. It's that simple, right!?! Unfortunately, it's not. People seem to have all manner of excuses for not voting.

Voting is hard
No one said advance citizenship was going to be easy. Sometimes it takes a little effort on your part. In reality, voting isn't that difficult when compared to writing your Honors Thesis. All you have to do to vote in the November 7 election is the following.

First, you must be registered by October 10. That's still eleven days away at press time. If you are a Millersville resident, you can register to vote in the borough. If you live in an off-campus apartment or anywhere in Millersville, you can pick up a pamphlet near the SMC information desk, fill it out and you will be registered to vote. Much simpler than what most of you went through during registration.

Second, you have to show-up at your home polling location. They're open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. The hours of the SMC aren't much better than that.

Granted, some of you can't make the commute home to vote because it's just too far. Don't worry, because an absentee ballot is your answer. You can pick-up a form from Student Senate, fill it in, and mail it. Within a week's time, you can do your voting in the comfort of your own dorm room. Talk about easy.

It's a two party system, so my vote doesn't matter.
Maybe you're not a big Bush fan and maybe you're not a big Gore fan. Then don't vote for either of them. We promise you that your vote will not be wasted. If a third party receives 25 percent of the vote, they will receive equal funding in the next election. You know what that means, we'll have a three party system. Keep in mind, we only have one more party than Communist Russia.

Your idle excuses for not voting will be meaningless if our freedoms are taken away. We here at The Snapper are not just urging you to vote, we are commanding you that it is your duty as an intelligent human being, as a citizen, as an American to vote.

So when you enter your voting booth on November 7 and close that curtain behind you, you are doing more than merely making a simple mark on a piece of paper. You are exercising your power of one, your power to change the world, your power to vote.