Marist Votes: “We don't care who you vote for. Just Vote.”

Op-Ed by Marist student organization, Marist Votes.

By Gabrielle Salko ‘21 and Julia McCarthy ‘19

When Marist Votes was founded in 2018, the mission was clear: we don’t care who you vote for, we just want to help you do it. 

There is a real information barrier when it comes to voting. It’s not just about deciding who to vote for, but learning how. What elections are coming up?  When do I need to be registered by? Where is my polling place? 

This barrier is not an accident — it has been in place since our democracy was conceptualized. Voting access is tied to issues of race, gender, and class equity. Voting is a power that has long been protected for those who are already powerful. Women did not win the right to vote until 1920, and voting wasn’t guaranteed for people of color until 1965. It is only from a position of power and privilege that you can make the argument that people should pass on exercising a fundamental right that took many years, and a lot of sacrifice, to have in the first place. 

In addition to institutionalized forms of voter suppression, like ballot purging or closing polling places, shame is utilized to keep people from the polls — especially young people. Shame for not being able to break down the barrier on your own, despite your access to vast online information. Shame for having privileges but not exercising them. Shame for being a college student and still being wary of the voting process. 

Marist Votes is the first student-led organization focused on changing the culture of voting at Marist College. This work does not stop after an election does — it’s about creating confidence in young people that their voices matter, and their voices will be heard. As student leaders (past and present) of this initiative, we have learned one hard lesson: you can give a student every resource they need to vote, but if you don’t empower students to value their voice, nothing will change. 

When the Marist Circle published the op-ed, “Don’t Vote in 2020”, we immediately thought of all the Marist students who confided in us about their hesitation to vote. They felt like they didn't know enough about the candidates, the issues, or the voting process. They cared; they just didn't know where to start. They felt discouraged — like they weren't good enough to vote. 

In the op-ed, the author writes: “If enough Americans, seeing no presidential candidate worthy of the office, elect to exercise their right not to vote, they will make their displeasure known to the party establishments.” Low voter turnout has never, in the history of American elections, caused a bi-partisan reckoning. Low voter turnout only works to benefit the so-called “party establishment”, as it still reflects the voices of those with existing privilege and power. 

Since the Voting Rights Act of 1965, the lowest turnout in Presidential elections occurred in 1988, 1996, and 2000. If low turnout causes party upheaval, we would expect to see non-traditional or “better” candidates in the subsequent elections. In order, the winners of those elections were: Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and Bush…. again. To us, this looks less like a reckoning and more like the “party establishment” getting exactly what they wanted. 

To advise against exercising your right to vote, at the end of Black History Month no less, is a reckless recommendation. Sometimes, silence can be powerful. In a democracy, however, it is our collective voices that make all the difference. 

While concerns about candidates are valid, the focus on the presidential election alone completely ignores city councils, school boards, state legislatures, and even congressional races. These elected positions will directly impact your daily life much more than whomever is sitting in the White House. So perhaps you don’t feel strongly enough about a presidential candidate to vote  — but don’t waste your opportunity to decide the fate of every other race that will be on your ballot in November.

In the coming months, Marist Votes will not only be hosting voter registration drives and coordinating absentee ballots, we will be working on breaking down the information barrier brick by brick. Follow us on Instagram at @MaristVotes for information on deadlines, polling locations, and more. Have a question? DM us. 

Don't let anyone shame you from the voting booth this November.