All 16 MSMS students eligible for the 2023 General Election are now registered to vote thanks to the Young Democrats Club’s September voter registration drive. 

The club runs a voting drive once a semester so students can register before the 30-day election cutoff. Anyone who turns 18 before Nov. 8 is eligible to register to vote. 

YDC President Ava Noe said she wants people to know they should use their voice to make their politics known.

“We can blame our politicians every day, or we can get out and encourage people,” Noe said. “If you want to see change, don’t just say, ‘Oh, this situation sucks,’ — get out and vote. People say, ‘Well, I don’t want to participate because I’m not really engaged in politics’ or ‘I don’t like what’s happening in politics from a current standpoint.’ [They] are also becoming part of the problem.” 

YDC sponsor Chuck Yarborough endorsed the importance of voting and said people need to vote because it is the only direct way to influence the policies that affect them daily.

“It’s the only way to directly choose your representatives. Everyone has a voice to then try to influence the people who are in office,” Yarborough said. “Everyone can contact [their representatives], and should, but voting is the most fundamental way to voice your choice for selecting leaders who are making policy. If someone doesn’t vote, then they surrender their ability to choose leaders.”

To register, all a person must do is fill out the registration form and mail it to their county’s circuit clerk. Despite the simplicity of voter registration, voter turnout is still typically less than 50% of all eligible voters, though it has been rising in recent years. 

Noe said the main reason keeping people away from the polls is the idea of being “just one vote,” while senior Ava Wilson said there are not many other options that can make a direct impact.

“[Some people] think their vote doesn’t matter,” Wilson said, “but there’s really not much else the average citizen can do to make a change other than votes. The last election was extremely close. Your individual vote matters more now than ever.” 

The 2023 General Election will decide, among other races, the next governor of Mississippi. Noe said this election is important because the policies the state governor prioritizes will affect everyone. 

“Even MSMS students who are going off to college in other states still have family here,” Noe said. “They still have some sort of connection to Mississippi, and they’re going to see the impact. Whoever is in charge of our state is really going to decide whether or not Mississippi stays in the dark or [turns] toward the light. With everything that’s happening in the country …, it’s all about who we put in that office.”

Noe said it was important to research the candidates running because it is important to know who and what you are voting for. 

“I like to watch the debates because sometimes they’re just funny, and sometimes you learn something about a candidate because they let something spill in the heat of the moment,” Noe said. “You can check their websites to see the platform they’re running on, and you can also look at what they’ve done in the past. Everything is public record, so if you want to see whether or not they voted against or for [a certain bill], you definitely can.”

Wilson said prospective voters need to recognize biases in the news.

“My big thing is trying not to get my information from secondary sources, like large news outlets that are known to be biased,” Wilson said. “I think it is much more effective to do exactly what [Noe] said: watch the debates, listen to speeches, and just pay attention.” 

Noe said the MSMS Young Democrats will continue to promote democracy by bringing in speakers from across the state. There are things to watch for and things to ponder, and Noe said the Young Democrats will be there to support students and civic activists every step of the way.