Dear Hamilton Community,
As most of you are all too aware, on Nov. 5 millions of Americans will head to the ballot box to elect a new President, 33 Senators and 435 new members of the U.S. House of Representatives along with countless local political offices.
Of those millions of people, young people have historically had far lower turnout rates than the rest of the United States population. In 2020, 66.8% of citizens over the age of 18 voted. But for young people (those between 18–29), those numbers were far lower; only 51.4% of those voters participated in the 2020 elections, both according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
While young people feel a — perhaps understandable — cynicism about participation in electoral politics, without participation in those systems through voting, change is impossible, and the result will be the continuation of the same systems that create such disillusionment. The editorial staff of
The Spectator
implores the students of Hamilton College to make sure their voices are heard by voting.
While the election remains top of mind, life on the Hill continues, and for those of you looking to distract yourself from those Big-World stresses, there are a plethora of opportunities for relaxation and learning in the upcoming days. The best viewing of the weekend is Men’s Rugby’s playoff match on Saturday. Then if you’d like to end your week with a more forward-looking pursuit, consider attending the Career Center’s “Skills After the Hill” event on Saturday at 10 a.m. in the KJ Commons Area. On Sunday, get your spooky on in the scariest place on campus… the library! Join Burke Library’s first Escape Room at 6 p.m. with a maximum of five friends to participate. Midterms got you down? Pick up some free cake pops and halloween socks in Sadove — triple check your emails for drop information. Have fun, stay safe, and indulge in some cake pop deliciousness.
Sincerely,
The Spectator
Editorial Board
