Editor,
I resent the premise of Christopher Sanchez's article, "Students search for reason to vote" - that a reason to vote needs finding.
Given that neither of the names of the students quoted in the article shows up in the Bernalillo County voter database, perhaps Sanchez should have asked whether his subjects were registered to vote before the interview began. Just because the subjects in the article weren't engaged in the process doesn't mean there aren't good reasons for UNM students to vote.
The first student quoted said in order to get the traditional student vote, candidates should pander to young voters and their issues. Let me turn this around, and state the other student's position as a question: Why do candidates pay so little attention to the student vote?
The answer is easy: Candidates pay attention to frequent voters and the issues of the voting blocs made up of frequent voters.
To get up-to-date statistics, I called my friend Steve Schroeder, a political analyst who lives in the University area. He crunched the following numbers for me while I wrote: 15 percent of the under-40 age group, 3.8 percent of the under-30 age group, and 1.4 percent of the under-24 age group who are registered to vote actually voted in one or more of the last five municipal elections.
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If you estimate those who've opted out by not even registering, virtually no traditional students will vote in this election. Compare that to approximately 40 percent of those older than 55 and you can understand why candidates spend more time in senior centers than at UNM, and why they talk about Social Security, not tuition assistance.
Local elected officials have a more direct affect on our daily lives than George Bush - unless you reside in New Orleans or Texas.
For example: If you or your friends are under 21 and want to see a band, who becomes mayor and city councilors makes all the difference in the world in terms of your choice of venues, because there's a proposed ordinance that would prohibit all-ages concerts from taking place where alcohol is being served.
If you're the average student who barely makes minimum wage, you could profit from the ballot initiative that would increase the minimum wage to $7.50 per hour in Albuquerque.
If you're tired of politicians who only pay attention to those who paid for their campaigns, then you should look into the Open and Ethical Elections Code initiative on this ballot, which would create voluntary limits on spending though public financing of campaigns.
If at anytime the address on your photo ID hasn't matched the address where you live or are registered to vote, then you should think twice about allowing the voter ID initiative on the ballot this Oct. 4 to pass.
Lastly, a good reason to vote is that once 18- to 24-year-olds begin to vote, politicians will have to pander to them and to their issues to get their vote.
Danny Hernandez
Daily Lobo reader
