By Stefany Cevallos
Pulse Staff Reporter
Election day is almost here, and you will need to know which of the candidates shares your views to determine if you will exercise your right to vote.
“I feel like even if we vote, nothing is gonna work out,” said Izabella Tristan, a freshman.
The general response from Palo Alto College students this election season is dim. When asked specifics on what issues mattered, some students voiced concerns with judgment of character or gender.
“She’s not in the position to run a country. A woman is not in the position to run the country,” said Brandi Lopez, a freshman, who is still undecided on her vote.
The presidential election is broadcast through all channels of media, but the soapbox for local politics is rarely used. Local representatives speak up for our communities. Elections for the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate are among the decisions voters will face.
The two houses of Congress have many influences in government, and both work to carry out legislative authority. Thirty-four of the 100 seats in the Senate are being contested. Democrats have 10 seats up for election while Republicans have 24. The House members are chosen by districts proportioned by population. Voters will elect 36 candidates, one from each of Texas’ congressional districts.
Closer to home, Texas’ 23rd U.S. House seat is up for grabs this election with the race between Democrat Pete Gallego and Republican Will Hurd. The 23rd District is considered a swing district with a large Hispanic population that will have an influence on immigration reform.
Four candidates are in the race for president. Students on campus are most familiar with the two candidates allowed to debate in this 2016 election: Hillary Clinton, the Democratic nominee, and Donald Trump, the Republican nominee.
“I believe that Hillary is a liar and Trump is an extremist,” said Alejandro De La Huerta, a sophomore Criminal Justice major.
De La Huerta remains undecided, stating he will be using his right to vote by placing an elderly coworker’s name on his ballot as a write-in candidate.
When asked about third party candidates, most students had no knowledge of the them.
“I’m not big at politics,” says Kaylie Oldcorn, a freshman.
Libertarian nominee Gary Johnson and Green Party nominee Jill Stein are the last to gain exposure from major media outlets but are nonetheless still in the running for president. Libertarians like Gary Johnson seek a middle ground between liberal values and conservative ones, believing in total individual liberty, while Greens like Jill Stein choose leaders who facilitate rather than manipulate and inspire rather than command.
The Bexar County Elections Department has information on voting locations. Visit www.bexar.org/1568/Elections-Department for more information. PAC is the closet to Precinct 1 located at 3505 Pleasanton Road, San Antonio, Texas 78221. Early voting runs from Oct. 24, 2016, through Nov. 4, 2016, and Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2016.
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