On NIU’s campus, voting booths are empty. Doe-eyed pollsters look out from their plastic chairs, hoping the next student passing by will stop and take fifteen seconds to vote. But people walk on, as if the voting booths didn’t exist. Some even snicker at the absurd notion of a student vote, as they head back to their dorms, looking forward to the next episode of the OC and a hearty bowl of Easy Mac. The pollsters look like they’re going to cry.

As students, we’re all busy. We have a lot on our minds. There are tests coming up. There are essays to write. And, of course, we have to decide what we’re going to wear every day. It’s often pretty hard to find the time or energy to care about something as seemingly paltry as a student election. On Tuesday, 300 people voted to elect new officers to the Student Association and Campus Activities Board. The number is almost laughable. Out of every 1,000 people, 12 voted.

Students blame the lack of choice in candidates and the supposed pointlessness of the elections. But the lack of turnout speaks to a much larger problem: student voter apathy.

The latest Senatorial primary election barely saw any student voting. The polling station at the Campus Recreation Center saw a little more than 30 voters on election days. It’s doubtful that other student-geared stations received many more votes.

This is not a problem exclusive to NIU. Young people across the country are ignoring their right and duty to vote — and it is an American’s duty to vote. For all intents and purposes, we live in a democracy. Our legal system was designed to make the voice of people the voice of the law. This is sometimes done by direct vote, usually on important local and state legislation. Other times, we elect (hopefully) qualified politicians to speak for us.

Whichever way the decisions are made, it us ultimately our will being done. But of course, that’s only the case if we make our voices heard. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 58.3 percent of all Americans voted in the 2004 general election. Sadly enough, that low proportion made up the largest total voter turnout in American history. More than 122 million people voted in 2004, compared to around 105 million in 2000, and it was still barely over half of eligible voters.

And it gets worse. It would be nice to hear that the low turnout was due to lazy middle-aged, uninformed voters who have been kicked around too long to care. It would be nice to hear of exuberant college students, informed on the issues, excitedly participating in the democratic process. That would be nice to hear.

It was not so, dearest readers. 41.8 percent of citizens aged 18 through 24 voted, 16 percent less than the national average. What were we doing instead? Sitting at home, smoking reefer?

While we were off being youthful, our voices went unheard, unnoticed. And only we suffer for it. For the last two years, student financial aid has been cut back. Soldiers, most of whom are 18 through 24 years old, are serving lengthy-extended tours overseas, not returning to their loving homes or going to school on the promised GI Bill. These are just two big issues, compared to infinite smaller ones that effect students on a daily basis.

Some people will tell you that your individual vote doesn’t matter. Those people are bitter liars. Human beings are social; when one of us votes, it convinces more of us to do the same. In November of this year, there will be a massive national vote. A third of the Senate is up for re-election and countless bills will be decided.

The state of the country can change, if we want it to. Don’t stay home.