By Lucy Enriquez
As a Junior at Odessa College, I understand how busy life can be for a college student juggling classes with part-time jobs, internships and a social life. This November, there is one important task that should not get lost in the shuffle: voting.
College is about learning, having fun and ultimately, finding a career, and perhaps most importantly — shaping ourselves into highly successful adults. We are fortunate enough to live in a democracy, but it shouldn’t be lost on us that it is also a privilege. That privilege comes with responsibilities that are essential to the corner stone for the prosperity of our country.
I am proud to say that my generation has already shown a fierce commitment to exercising our right and responsibility to cast our vote. In the 2020 presidential elections, two thirds of college students took to the polls, about the same as the general population, according to a report from Tufts University.
The same cannot be said for the Permian’s voter turnout, though.
While young voters nationwide are registering and voting like never before, we must bring that same vigor to our local elections if we want our voice to have an impact. There are so many critical issues and positions on ballots across the Permian Basin that we cannot miss the opportunity to make our voices heard.
We often focus our attention on the national presidential elections — local elections have far lower turnout on average. However, our local elections have just as much influence on our community, and in fact, local issues impact our day-to-day lives more immediately.
Local officials have a direct, personal connection to our community. We can easily hold our elected officials accountable and even influence their decisions if we use our voices. They set the budgets for our county, city and schools. Think about the future of our community decades from now, when some of us may have children who are college students themselves. It is local officials who are actively planning for that future — and every election, we have a chance to decide who is building those plans.
On November 5, Ector County will elect a County Attorney, Sheriff, Tax Assessor-Collector, Commissioners and Constables, as well as voting on an Odessa College bond. In the City of Odessa, we have a Mayoral race and several city council seats up — all offices that affect municipal issues that affect our daily lives, such as our roads and infrastructure.
Don’t forget to make a plan to vote! Check your nearest polling locations or county information by visiting PermianPartnership.org/Get-Out-The-Vote.
The truth is — your one vote matters just as much today as your vote will matter in 2054. By voting November 5, we as college students can set an example for our community and our country.
Lucy Enriquez is a student leader at Odessa College.
