By Cristal Aldrete

Elections spark change. I am not just talking about presidential campaigns; I speak of every miniscule bit of campaigning, whether it be for the student council or the city council.
But how can we get change if we do not vote or even bother to register?
Eastfield students face two elections this fall. First, we have Student Government Association elections running from Sept. 21-26. Then we have the presidential elections. Early voting is Oct. 22-29, and the general election is Nov. 6.
You may wonder how I can compare the two, but they go hand in hand. First, SGA is set up with senators and a House of Representatives, just like the U.S. government.
We decide what happens on campus. Think about recent issues like guns on campus, the smoking policy, school colors and representation in the Texas House of Representatives. Who do you think was involved in that?
The Eastfield SGA was recently voted Chapter of the Year, meaning we were the best in all of Texas. Would you really want somebody to destroy that by not voting? Because you are a student of Eastfield, whatever you do will be reflected on us.
As far as the presidential elections go, you must take the initiative and register to vote.
Texas has one of the worst voter turnouts in the country, and statistically, Hispanics are the largest contributor. The card literally takes three minutes to fill out, and as of this year, you are no longer required to have a picture I.D. to vote.
Don’t know where to start? Go to the Dallas County Elections website.
I cannot stress how important voting is. National Voter Registration Day is Sept. 25, and SGA representatives will be registering people to vote in the Pit.
It all starts with a pen and a voter card. Change is in your hands.