The debates have come and gone, the undecided voters are now national celebrities, and with people like Bill Clinton and Rudy Giuliani out on the campaign trail it seems that all the national media’s political focus is wrapped up in Bush vs. Kerry.
However, there are many more choices on the ballot next Tuesday, and we hope students will consider all the choices they make, not just their vote for president.
In Missouri we have an open congressional seat for the first time in 28 years with Rep. Dick Gephardt retiring. We also have a race for governor that appears to be even closer than Bush and Kerry. There is a seat for the U.S. Senate up for grabs, and we need to elect the Secretary of State, all of the state and local representatives, and judges.
Even though most of us are not permanent Missouri residents, state and local politics should remain an important consideration. The governor will appoint judges, and the U.S. senator will vote to confirm nominations for judges and all positions of the next president. Of course they also create, sponsor, and vote on other legislation that will affect students.
Other states’ races also will have an impact on Missouri and the rest of the country. The now-national welfare reform began in Wisconsin, and the standardized testing that is now part of the No Child Left Behind Act came from the Regents exams in New York.
Important judicial precedents also come from local decisions. Supreme Court cases from Missouri include: Dred Scott v. Sandford, on returning runaway slaves to their masters; Deck v. Missouri, a pending case on the constitutionality of juvenile capital punishment; and City of Ladue v. Gilleo, a free speech case. Local cases that impact students include the Missouri Supreme Court’s ruling that concealed weapons permits are constitutional, and a circuit court’s subsequent finding that St. Louis County did not have to issue those permits.
As for local control, the 2000 census lists the voting-age population of Clayton at 10,241. Voter participation is around 50% nationally, slightly higher for presidential elections and much lower for municipal elections. This means that the population of the South 40, roughly 2,700 students, could easily form a large voting block and fundamentally influence Clayton policies.
We hope all students realize the tremendous impact their vote will have and make an informed choice all issues. Your vote affects all branches of government, on all levels. Choose wisely.