Students Working to Get Out the Vote

Julie Jasewicz, left, and Karina Robinson have been talking with friends and family about election issues and the importance of voting.

ALBANY, N.Y. (Oct. 28, 2020) — Casting a vote is a way to amplify your own voice, says Julie Jasewicz, a junior from Dolgeville.

It’s the glue that holds our democracy together, says senior John Miller of Gloversville.

It’s the power that allows you to change the world, says Alex Mani, a senior who grew up on Staten Island.

UAlbany students are working on making a difference in this election by getting out the word on why voting is important to them, to the country and to our future. And they are encouraging peers and family members to get out and vote, too.

Miller, a history major whose goal is to be a history professor, said he’s been urging friends and family to make sure their voices are heard. “Every now and then I check to see if they are registered to vote and when they are going to exercise their right to do so,” he said.

Jasewicz also uses her social circles — family, friends and classmates — to spread the word. “It isn't so much about the candidate, but getting people empowered, letting them know that their opinion matters and they have a say over what happens in this country,” she said. “If everyone spoke with one person about why voting matters, we could see a huge change in numbers at the polls. My age bracket is mostly individuals who haven't voted before; this is particularly important for them because until now they haven't had this chance to make their voices heard in a direct way.”

Alex Mani of Staten Island says that if you are over 18, you need to vote and make your voice heard.

Karina Robinson, a Human Development major from the Bronx, said she’s been talking to people about the most important issues facing the nation, and opening up discussions about which candidate would be best to address them. “This semester I have been fortunate enough to be a part of the Voter Engagement Committee,” she said. “I have been making flyers and sharing my peers' flyers to the UAlbany Votes Instagram page. We provide information and insight on how to vote and be a part of the change.”

For Robinson, a senior who hopes to become a school psychologist in the future, voting is personal.

“I am a first-time voter and it’s been a great feeling to have been able to vote early,” she said. “Voting is important to me because as an Afro-Latina and a woman there was a time in this country where I could not exercise the right to vote. Voting is important because it allows me to have a voice and a say-so as to who will run at the local, state and federal levels.” 

Mani said he also feels the imperative to make his voice heard. “After the age of 18, we all have the power and the right to decide on what type of life we want for ourselves, our parents and our future. If you're passionate about social and political issues, voting is your chance to be heard,” he said. “There are opportunities for big changes through the power of voting so, if we have the chance, we must take it.”

The four students also shared their arguments when trying to convince others to vote:

Julie Jasewicz: You are given the chance to engage with the country and the course of its future, will you choose to share your voice or will you spend the next four years wondering what might have happened if you had? 

Alex Mani: As children, most of our lives we have been having our decisions made for us by others like parents, older brothers and sisters, teachers, etc. Now that we are given the power to use our voice, now is the time to make our own decisions that could positively change our lives. So, why not vote? 

John Miller: I'd tell them to look outside and ask them what they saw.  If they are happy with what's going on in their neighborhood or even their country, vote to keep it, if not, speak out and seek out change. The best way to do so is to vote for a new party or a new person to take charge of your city, state or the federal government. 

Karina Robinson: Voting is a critical part of your responsibility as a citizen of the United States. Voting can change laws and policies that will help benefit your social, economic, medical and educational opportunities. Voting is a functional building block to keep society on an even playing field.