After years and years of campaigns, debates, and nasty Facebook posts shared between relatives, November 8^th, our national election day, is finally here. And for many Marist students who have never voted in an election before, the feelings on taking their first steps in civic engagement are certainly…mixed.

Based on data found on Fairvote.org, 60 percent of the US population voted in the previous Presidential election. But among younger voters in the age range of 18 to 29, the voter turnout has certainly been lacking. For the past 40 years of Presidential elections, this age group has turned out to the polls on Election Day at a rate 15 to 20 points lower than citizens 30 years and older, with no sign of this trend being curbed in a positive manner.

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