November 6, 2018 is right around the corner, which means voters and states are preparing for the crucial midterm elections. The general election will ultimately decide whether Democrats can gain control of Congress or if Republicans will keep their hold on the legislative branch.

In the midterms, 435 House seats and 33 Senate seats are up for election, in addition to 6,665 state positions and thousands more local positions. These local positions vary from governorships to state legislative seats, down to the municipal level.

At school, a great majority of students are not old enough to vote, yet this does not stop them from expressing their opinions on the election.

“There are many ways to be involved in politics here on campus,” said junior Frank Belette. “There are a ton of clubs where us students can express our political opinions with one another. Although I cannot vote at the polls, talking about the various issues that will be on the ballot along with my fellow classmates in and out of the class makes me even more excited for the next election when I can vote.”

For the seniors who got the chance to cast their ballots, this election is a very exciting moment.

“I got to vote for the first time in this midterm election, and it was a really great experience for me,” said senior Meghna Sharma. “When I first got to the polls it was really cool to see all of the campaign posters that were scattered everywhere and all the people handing out brochures because it created a really enthusiastic environment and made me excited to finally be able to vote. It was so exciting that I finally got to have a say on who we elect for office rather than just hearing about it on the news, and I got to vote on certain state amendments in addition to candidates which I thought made this experience really meaningful.”

Source: The New York Times

Photo Source: Tom Arthur via Wikimedia Commons