The New Paltz Oracle
EDITORIAL Â
  9 Â
oracle.newpaltz.edu
POLL Â BOOTH Â POLITICS
CARTOON BY JULIE GUNDERSEN The  time  of  the  year  where  we  go  to  the  polls  is  upon  us  again.  And  this  year  (like  every  year)  in  New  Paltz,  it  matters. This  year’s  New  Paltz  Town  Super- visor  race  features  two  candidates:  Ran- dall  Leverette  and  Susan  Zimet.   Lever- ette,  the  Chairman  of  the  Town  of  New  Paltz  Police  Commission,  is  running  on  the  principles  of  process  over  politics,  transparency  and  a  collaborative  gov- ernment.  Zimet,  the  current  New  Paltz  town  supervisor,  said  her  main  focus  is  to  keep  taxes  down  in  New  Paltz.  The  question  is,  how  many  students  are  seeing  the  names  Zimet  and  Lever- HWWH IRU WKH ¿ UVW WLPH" 2Q WRS RI WKDW how  many  had  no  idea  what  their  posi- tions  on  local  issues  are  before  reading  WKLV HGLWRULDO" We  at  The  New  Paltz  Oracle  feel  that  every  student  who’s  registered  to  vote  in  New  Paltz  should  be  educated  RQ WKH YRWH DQG WKHQ VKRXOG GH¿ QLWHO\
be  at  the  polls  on  Nov.  5.  We’ve  written  editorials  like  this  before,  many  times  in  fact.  But  we  will  say  this  year  after  year  after  year—your  vote  matters,  especially  in  local  gov- ernment  elections.  We  understand  some  students  might  think  they  shouldn’t  care  about  this  election  because  it’s  a  small  town  affair,  or  they  don’t  consider  them- selves  full-Âtime  New  Paltz  residents,  but,  in  reality,  we  spend  more  time  at  school  than  we  do  at  home.  The  deci- sions  made  during  this  election  do  di- rectly  affect  our  experiences  here.  Among  some  of  the  candidates’  priorities  are  taxes  in  the  town  and  the  town  and  village  master  plan,  both  of  which  are  issues  that  may  not  have  the  most  noticeable  impact  on  students.  However,  each  candidate  has  brought  up  Park  Point  and  lighting  on  Plattekill,  two  issues  that  will  have  a  direct  and  immediate  effect  on  students. Â
We  live  on  a  campus  with  students  who  want  to  call  themselves  politically  active,  and  socially  conscious  people.  However,  the  voter  turn-Âout  at  every  election  is  abysmal,  with  some  years  not  even  reaching  10  student  voters.  We’re  a  school  of  7,767.  It’s  too  often  that  we  as  an  activ- ist  community  will  care  about  an  issue,  voice  our  support  or  discontent  with  that  issue  and  then  neglect  to  do  one  of  the  most  basic  things  you  can  do  to  make  change  when  it  matters.  It’s  especially  important  for  us  to  participate  and  engage  in  local  govern- ment.  As  opposed  to  a  national  election  where  your  individual  goes  toward  the  electoral  count  and  could  potentially  be  meaningless,  your  individual  vote  for  a  JRYHUQPHQW RIÂż FLDO LV FRXQWHG DV DQ LQ GLYLGXDO YRWH ,W PDWWHUV 2QH PRUH SHU son  at  the  polls  this  year  could  swing  the  election  one  way  or  the  other.   We  urge  students  to  not  only  be Â
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aware  of  political  issues  when  election  day  comes  around,  but  to  be  aware  all  year  of  every  year.  The  greatest  enemy  RI SURJUHVV LV DSDWK\ 2XU KRPH IRU months  out  of  the  year  deserves  time,  energy  and  attention. Regardless  of  how  you  vote,  your  presence  at  the  polls  is  the  least  you  can  offer.  It’s  not  often  that  students  have  the  opportunity  to  actually  facilitate  the  sorts  of  change  they  talk  about  regu- larly.  Do  not  waste  this  opportunity. Â
Editorials  represent  the  views  of  the  majority  of  the  editorial  board.  Columns,  op-Âeds  and  letters,  excluding  editorials,  are  solely  those  of  the  writers  and  do  not  necessarily  represent  the  views  of  The  New  Paltz  Oracle,  its  staff  members,  the  campus  and  university  or  the  Town  or  Village  of  New  Paltz.