Election Day: The Concrete Information

There’s 12 hours left. Twelve hours for you to cast that ballot.

The midterm election cycle has followed political history, and this year’s drama will be enough to fit into one season of network television.

Here are the facts you will need to know for tonight’s election drama: The Democrats will lose seats in both the House and the Senate. Regardless if Democrats keep the House, Nancy Pelosi will lose her position as Speaker of the House. Indiana’s 9th congressional district race between Baron Hill and Todd Young (sorry Greg Knott, your “no bull” got nowhere) will be determined between 1,000-5,000 votes.

Now that those issues are brought to the table, here’s what Bloomington needs to know for their Election Day.
 
THE TRUTH HAS BEEN HIDDEN FROM VOTERS

Mudslinging is a part of politics, and if you’re familiar with the 9th district, you know political attacks begin the moment the previous election ends.

This year has been no exception, but some attacks have been below the belt.

Specifically, the claims our local publications placed on Congressman Hill should have reached the gossip tabloids instead of a legitimate news source.

“When asked about term limits, Congressman Hill muttered some answer suggesting that term limits would ‘limit the power his constituents gave him.’ The entire non-partisan audience erupted in laughter.”

Really? When this country’s focus is on repairing its current economic crisis, writers are worried about term limits?

Furthermore, this same writer said Hill was neglecting his voting record. Now, if you were fortunate enough to attend, listen or watch the debates, you would know the congressman has never strayed from his personal record. In fact, he has gone on record saying he does not regret any decision he’s made while in office. This means Hill would vote for those bailouts, the healthcare reform and cap-and-trade again.

Good try guys. These attacks are merely laughable considering your candidate has never made a political vote in his life.
 
THE ELECTION IS MORE LOCAL THAN YOU THINK
There have been columns written, protests and election board meetings on whether satellite voting should be on IU’s campus, and still some believed they could vote on campus.
We lost this fight months ago, but if the right local leaders are elected into office, early voting on campus will not be an issue come 2012.
So who cares about these issues? Ask Linda Robbins, Mike Szakaly, Matt Pierce, Peggy Welch and all other local Democratic candidates because they know  the direct relationship IU has with Bloomington, and they want to maintain this positive relationship, not destroy it.
Also, the current education referendum should be considered. Contributing money to public education should be a no-brainer for voters. Yes, taxes in Monroe County will rise, but once it’s understood that this money will be directly handed to Monroe County Community School Corporation’s spending budget, then an argument against the measure shouldn’t exist. Voting “Yes on 2” saves jobs, after school programs and your moral credibility.

GETTING TO YOUR POLLING STATION IS THE HARDEST PART

Early voting in the state began the day registration ended. From Oct. 4 on, all residents had the power to vote before Election Day.

Even though there’s  been an abundant amount of opportunity, there are still votes to be cast, and knowing your polling location is the hardest part. 

IndianaVoters.com. It’s the only website you need to know for Election Day. Click on “Find My Polling Place” and within a matter of seconds, your correct polling station is in front of you.

Have questions about candidates? Don’t worry. IndianaVoters provides that for you as well. Think of it as a one-stop shop before you go to the polls. Just remember, you have until 6 p.m. to reach your polling station and vote.

I may be a political nerd. While some crave football, Politico gets my adrenaline pumping. It’s why I’m proud to be a part of the IU College Democrats. We may have been partisan since registration was finished, but this tactic ends once Tuesday morning begins. Public participation matters to us, and we’re not going to stray away from this standard.

It’s an accountability we’re all proud to share.  

If you need a ride to the polls, get a hold of College Democrats. We may promote our candidates, but once you reach the voting line, we will be proud that we got another person to the polls.