In Athens? No.

Are you registered to vote? Of course.

In Athens? No. And I don't want to.

I refuse to vote in an election in a city that I have only been in for two months. It's not a matter of me not considering Athens to be home; it's a matter of me not wanting to affect issues and candidates about which I have very little knowledge.

I've lived in Beavercreek for eighteen years. I know most of the candidates; I know many of the issues. I know how I want to vote, and the vote will still affect me for five months out of the year.

I've been in Athens for six weeks; at the time of the election, I will have been here for about two months. I know none of the candidates; I know few of the issues. I don't want to affect the Athens community by my uninformed college vote.

A few of the students voting in the coming election will have researched the candidates and issues, and I think that's fantastic. But the majority of OU students will vote randomly: for the name that they've seen on the most posters, the name that sounds best, the issue that on the surface seems promising, etc.

I could be one of the few who researches, but I really don't have the time. By the next election I will be prepared to vote in Athens, but this election, I don't want to change something that I'm not well-informed about.

Yesterday I was confirmed that my decision was correct when a student in my Public Speaking class told everyone to vote at home. He is from Athens, and he doesn't want college students changing things which they know nothing about.

And don't try telling me that my absentee ballot won't be counted; I live in a Republican military community. They count our absentee ballots.