October 24, 2024
UIARGONAUT.COM
FOR, OF AND BY THE STUDENTS SINCE 1898
Voting as a student: what to expect
Graphic by Connor Anderson, State seal by Paul B. Evans. This graphic and edition are in no way sponsored or endorsed by the state of Idaho or any branch of its government
How to participate in voting this election Ben DeWitt ARGONAUT
Lezly Macias is the first person in her family to attend higher education. She hails from Boise and is the child of two Mexican immigrants who never received more than a primary school education. She now is the Director of Community and Civic Engagement for ASUI at the University of Idaho. Her position requires her to provide students with information and resources regarding voter registration, absentee ballots and identification required to vote on campus. Macias is very excited for Election Day, Nov. 5, to arrive. This year, she turned 19 and in 2024 she will vote in a presidential election for the first time. “Being able to use my voice at the polls is very important. Not only is it my future, but it’s everybody else’s future,” Macias said. She believes it is very important for young Americans to vote and use their voices to make change around them. Here on campus, a problem arises for students who are not from the state of Idaho and want to vote. Last year, the Idaho legislature passed Idaho House Bill 340 that eliminated the use of a student ID as identification for voting in the state of Idaho. According to the Idaho Legislature website, this bill was signed on April 4, 2023, and came into effect July 1 of the same year. This means that out-of-state students must get an Idaho driver’s license, ID, passport, tribal photo ID or concealed carry license to vote in Idaho. Dr. Connie Brumm, a board member of the League of Women Voters in Latah County, shared some of the frustrations and hoops to jump through News, 1
Life, 8
Sports, 12
Opinion, 14
for out-of-state students who wish to vote. “There are some people that are going to not vote because they don’t want to jump through the hoops of getting an Idaho ID,” she said. “They want to keep their Montana driver’s license or their Arizona driver’s license, which they were able to use before as long as they could prove that they lived here, which you can do, but now you have to have an Idaho ID.” This hurdle can make out-of-state students turn away from voting at UI. However, this doesn’t completely stop them from voting. The League of Women Voters is dedicated to helping students without Idaho IDs either find a way to vote in their home state or guide these students to get Idaho IDs. The voting process on UI campus is accessible to those that can meet the requirements. “The polling place for students is at the Student Rec Center. I don’t see how it could get more physically accessible,” Brumm said. “Not only is that building right on campus, but it’s also accessible for disabled people. In Idaho, the process of registering to vote and voting is easy. It’s easier than most states.” Other precincts in Latah County use different locations for voting, including the Latah County Fair Event Center Exhibit Building and Hamilton Indoor Recreation Center. Those planning on voting should be aware of which precinct they belong to in Moscow. This information, along with other important details can be found on the Latah County website, latahcountyid.gov. Louise Davison, another board member for the League of Women Voters and a participant in local and federal elections since the 1970s, shared some advice for young Americans who are unsure about voting. “If you have never voted before, it feels huge. But once you have voted,
you realize it’s a very simple process. It’s not complicated. It’s safe and secure,” Davison said. Davison has been a poll worker for the past few elections in Latah County and was surprised by how easy and secure the process is. She emphasizes the importance of voting by pointing out that many elections have come down to just a few votes. She also recommends that young voters use the website vote411.com as a resource to learn about candidate’s views and positions on certain subjects. Candidates respond to prompts themselves, making the resources as transparent and bi-partisan as possible. “It’s a very good source of information for people who are unsure about who’s standing for what,” Davison said. As the seasons change and the 2024 election looms, many Americans are expected to turn to voting booths to exercise their right to choose. Latah County voters can cast their ballot early by voting during the Early Voting period from Oct. 21 to Nov. 1. at the Latah County Courthouse room 7B, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Voters can also vote early on Saturday, Oct. 26 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the same location. To vote on Election Day, Moscow voters must cast their ballots in their specified voting locations designated by precinct. All the polling locations will be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Election Day. Absentee ballot request forms can be found at VoteIdaho.gov and must be received by the elections department no later than 8:00 p.m. on Election Day, for a mail in ballot. Further questions and concerns about the election can be addressed by contacting the Latah County Elections Department at 208-883-2278 or email elections@latahcountyid.gov. University of Idaho
Israel-Gaza war sparks discussion Rebekah Weaver ARGONAUT
Since 1947, the conflict between Israel and Palestine and the surrounding areas has only intensified, spreading division of people and beliefs worldwide. Recent events have reignited concern for the issue, leading many campus groups to grow more entrenched in their belief that the opposing side is to blame. This includes the pagers that Israel allegedly rigged with explosives in Lebanon and parts of Syria that wounded thousands, mostly civilians, but also killed Hamas officials on Sept. 17 and 18 of this year. The violence escalated significantly in 2023, with Hamas, a Palestinian militant group, launching a large-scale attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, which resulted in over 1,100 civilians dead and hundreds of hostages taken. SEE ISRAEL-GAZA, PAGE 4
Harris wins Student poll Staff Report ARGONAUT
The Argonaut randomly polled 120 students on campus about which presidential candidate they will be voting for. This is an unscientific poll with a margin of error of plus or minus 5%. Kamala Harris is the popular candidate of the poll, receiving 69 of the 120 total votes. This makes her 57.5% favored on campus. Donald Trump received 51 of the votes, making him 42.5% of the popular vote on campus. Not factored into the total were eight students who responded they were undecided on who they were voting for and eight who said they were not voting at all. Volume 126, Issue no. 3
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