The 2012 election year kicked off with a surprising result. Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania won the Iowa caucus. Sen. Gov. Mitt Romney finished second by 34 votes in the first race for the Republican nomination. Yes, 34 votes. Not 3,400, but 34. A small number decided the first major event during an election year.
This is something only seen in movies. It’s difficult to fathom an outcome that close, but it happened.
In America, like few other countries, we have the privilege to vote for our leaders. Until the 2008 election, younger voters didn’t punch ballots as often as their elders. This probably occurred for several reasons — they didn’t agree with any candidate, they didn’t feel the need to register to vote or they were simply apathetic. Another reason, maybe the main reason one doesn’t vote, is because they feel their vote wouldn’t count.
The 2012 Iowa caucus is a prime example of people’s votes counting. While many Webster University students could not vote in the Iowa caucus and impact that outcome, it doesn’t mean this couldn’t happen in another election. It could happen in any election that would affect a Webster student: an SGA vote, the mayoral vote for Webster Groves, the race for Missouri governor.
The Journal wishes to remind all students, faculty and staff that your vote counts in our democracy. Even though elections can be decided by hundreds or thousands of votes, we have seen that just a few can determine an outcome. In a time where some people question their vote’s importance, this month’s Iowa caucus shows you just how important your choice is. The Journal encourages its readers, if they haven’t already, to register to vote and make your choice heard. Because it really can be that close of an election.
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