My Experience as a First Time Voter

The American electorate is now one person stronger. Consider me part of the “youth-quake”, rocking the 2008 Campaign. I am a first time voter. There, I said it. But getting to this point required introspection. I had to ask questions and research in order to choose which party I wanted to register as.

Where can I pick up a registration form? How do I know which Party to be in? Which candidate am I most likely to vote for? These are just a few of the many questions I asked myself when deciding to register to vote for the first time. I felt overwhelmed with all the questions I had in my head about the registering process.

I decided to vote this year because it is the first time in my life I am following the presidential campaign. I am attending a Controlling Spin class which focuses on politics and the media. This sparked my interest in our nation’s government and the president’s role in all of it. I became more aware of my country in less than two months than I have in the past nineteen years.

As a first time voter, I am expecting to face a few challenges of my own. I have to catch up on the key issues of our country’s concern and create my own opinions about them. After creating my own opinions, which I’m still in the process of doing, I will then explore the candidates’ opinions and their plans of action to enhance our nation.

Another challenge I had to face when registering to vote for the first time was deciding on which Party to choose. I consider myself an Independent, but I really want to vote in the Pennsylvania Primary, so I had to select a Party. I called my Dad because I was having trouble deciding. He is a registered Republican and my Mom is a registered Independent. I never considered myself a hardcore liberal or a hardcore conservative, so I chose the one I felt I best fit under.

As a first time voter, I am excited to be a part of something much larger than I am used to. I feel that I can make a difference in the world by being able to follow politics and voice my opinions about issues. Furthermore, I can influence who will be the next president, which can change America. Although it is a small difference, it will mean something for future generations.

Amy Fusco '10
Wilkes University
Communications Studies