The latest polls are showing almost half of millennial voters either support a third-party candidate, don’t know who to vote for, or won’t vote at all in the upcoming presidential election.
Instead of encouraging students to pick a side, DePaul University will host an event titled, “Why You Shouldn’t Vote Tomorrow.” It will take place on Nov. 7, the day before the election.
The event will discuss participation in the electoral process and investigate “the case for anarchy.”
According to the event description, students “will have a reasoned conversation about the senses in which ‘the lesser of two evils’ is not really a choice, the possibility that voting is a distraction from true political participation and action, the concern that the electoral process is part of the “bread and circuses” meant to keep the ruling class perpetually in power, and the claim that any vote within the system is ultimately a vote for empire, capital, hegemony, violence, racism, and oppression.”
Speakers at the event will include several authors, political organizers, a cartoonist, and an improv comedian.
“This event is a sad consequence of the Bernie Sanders ‘revolution,’ Nicole Been, president of the DePaul University College Republicans, said. “I had a feeling when Bernie lost to Hillary his supporters would become disengaged and angry at the system, which on the Democratic side they should be.”
Been disagrees with the premise of the event and believes that there should be an event on voter education instead. She said, “[not voting] just hurts the down ballot candidates who really have more of an impact on their constituents than the presidential candidates.”
Jack McNeil, president of the DePaul College Democrats, also disagreed with the subject of this event. “If you don’t think this election is important, tell that to the kids being told they are ‘terrorists’ at school, or the basketball players who hear chants of ‘speak English’ or ‘build a wall’ while playing a high school game in Indiana. Not only do we need to come together to defeat Donald Trump, we need to make sure no one like him rises to this popularity again. This election matters, change is hard and takes time, and if you want more people in office that believe climate change is real, criminal justice needs to be reformed, and a pathway to citizenship is important, then I’d encourage you to vote, and vote for Hillary Clinton,” he said.
However, McNeil said he has no problem with the event taking place, because he’s “all for the free exchange of ideas.”
Been offered one last piece of advice for students thinking about staying home on Election Day: “Voting is a right we have here that many people in other countries even today still don’t have, and of course if you don’t vote don’t complain about what happens when you don’t like your situation with whoever gets in.”
