An Uninformed Vote

Is A Wasted One

To the Editor:

Being a young voter has proven to be incredibly overwhelming: schooling, parents, and the media have taught us to vote according to our party lines. New voter applications ask us to check Republican, Democrat, or Unaffiliated, and it is scary to think that checking one box can decide your beliefs on such strong issues. What they don’t teach you is how to really choose a party or a candidate. How can a teen or anyone for that matter choose a party if they are not properly informed on the outlines of the parties and the candidates’ platforms?

It has become very evident to me that there are several gray areas between Democrat and Republican, conservative and liberal, moderate and extremist. New voters from Newtown get the advantage of having a mandatory government class that requires us to learn the differences between the sides of the spectrum, but not even a four-year-long class could fully explain to us the issues we are being faced with and the solutions to which are arising daily. In my opinion, before I check a box on a registration card, I need to know all the facts about the parties. I need to realize that not believing in every ideal of one doesn’t mean I can’t still be a member of that party. There are so many confusing aspects of becoming a new voter and the only advice I can properly give from experience is to research and know at least the platforms of the candidates: make sure you aren’t registering and voting blindly because as cheesy as it is, an uninformed vote is a wasted one.

I also think that it is great that there is a candidate that targets youth as an important voting demographic. Chris Lyddy is involved in several youth programs in Newtown such as being a past board member of Newtown Youth Services, and currently working on the Prevention Council and serving on the board of directors for the Parent Connection. It is great to have someone who is so active in our town running for office. A lot of candidates, whether it is statewide or nationwide, say that they are sensitive to the younger voters, but it is nice to have a candidate who is actively interacting with the youth to get us informed and involved in the election.

Gabby Nastri

2 Jo Mar Drive, Sandy Hook                                               July 7, 2008