Danny Bartik
Staff Writer
10/16/18
The upcoming midterm elections could play a major role in the lives of Dominican students as well as college students all across the United States according to Political Science Department Chair David Dolence. “I don’t know that it’s necessarily any more important for students here than anywhere, because the very nature of the United States. Congress is so intrusive now and will pass so many laws that affect you every daythat if you’re not paying attention to them, you’re gonna get screwed by it,” said Dolence.
The big event in Illinois is the gubernatorial race, in which incumbent Republican Bruce Rauner is running against Democrat J.B. Pritzker. Many students at Dominican interested and or involved in politics have already begun to stress the importance of the upcoming elections.
Senior and state representitive employee Trevi Mathews currently working under a state representative emphasized that state-level politics can directly hit students’ financial aid checks through the Monetary Assistance Program (MAP). According to the Illinois Student Aid Commision, the MAP program “provides grants, which do not need
to be repaid, to Illinois residents who attend approved Illinois colleges and demonstrate financial need based on
the information provided on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid or FAFSA.”
“One of the big things is that a lot of the students at Dominican are MAP grant recipients, including myself so I think it’s really important that we participate in the gubernatorial
election,” Matthews said.
But around the country apathy is the preferred position.
According to a poll conducted in June by the Public Religion Research Institute and the Atlantic, only 28 percent of young voters say they will
participate in the Nov. 6 midterm elections.
Notre Dame Law student and former intern at the Chicago mayor’s office Benjamin Boris says, “Often it is state and local issues that constantly receive little to no attention. While it is understandably difficult to keep up with local politics on a day-today basis” he says, “the best way to exercises your say in the decisions that substantially impact your life is to vote.”
The congressional election could swing control of the House of Representatives, whose members are up for election every two years from Republican to Democratic.
Republicans hold a thin 51-49 advantage in the senate, where only a third of the seats are up for election, which contributes to a more complicated situation.
“The math on the senate is a littleharder so most people don’t think the senate will switch,” Dolence said.
bartidani@dom.edu
