A word from the editors

Voting — it is one of those tasks that all too often falls into the category of routine chores. Too often, voting seems no more important than taking the car in for an oil change, going to the dentist or picking up the dry cleaning.

In the midst of hectic daily grind, it can seem easy for a task as simple as casting a ballot to slip through the cracks. But a task as crucial to the democratic process as voting should not be pushed off the to-do list.

A vote in an Undergraduate Student Government election might not seem like a civic duty, but it is an important first step. By voting in this USG election, students are acting as members of the USC community. Votes are investments — in this case, in the university and in the future of the student body. Choosing not to vote leaves voices out of the process and removes you from the conversation.

Low turnout rates aren’t only a problem in student government elections. The 2012 presidential election only garnered 58.2 percent of the vote, and the tally was even lower in California. State government elections usually tend to do worse than national elections, and local elections typically draw only between a quarter and a third of registered voters.

This special edition of the Daily Trojan is meant to change that. As reporters and editors who cover student government, we understand the impact student leaders can have on the USC community. The power of student government to enact change on this campus would be immeasurably enhanced if more students paid attention and got involved.

Take this opportunity to participate. Students can vote online from midnight Monday morning to 8 p.m. on Thursday, and USG will have polling stations set up all over campus throughout the week. Visit elections.usc.edu or one of the polling stations on campus and let your voice be heard.