In response to Casey Peterson's letter, "Political volunteers pester the masses," I ask if Casey has, in fact, registered to vote in Alachua County. If not, his fellow politically minded friends may want to encourage him.
Voting for our elected officials is a core responsibility of every citizen, and being registered to vote is the first step - one that many students still haven't taken. The vast majority of UF students have never voted in a presidential election, so they may not have felt the need to register before now. Or maybe they weren't aware that they must register by Oct. 6 if they want to vote in November.
For those registered outside Alachua County, their votes may never be counted. Some counties only count absentee ballots when the margin of victory is incredibly small. Florida has been a swing state in recent elections, and a few hundred discarded absentee votes would have changed the outcome had they been counted.
Next time you see one of those cheery volunteers with clipboards, remember that. Those campaign volunteers may annoy you while you walk to class, but their efforts may also grab the attention of the unregistered voter behind you. Isn't that worth the minor inconvenience?
