Voting in the “Little Town of Mendon, Massachusetts”

By: Caty Scharnagle

Youths from Mendon, Massachusetts tend to vote in federal elections rather than local elections, but do make an effort to vote even when away from their hometown.

Only 19.9 percent of eligible citizens voted in the 2014 elections, according to a study done by Circle on youth voting. In Mendon, many youth vote during federal elections, but voting in local elections in less popular, according to Town Clerk Margaret Bodenko.

Youth voting in Mendon, MA increases during national elections, said Margaret Bodenko. “Many register for town elections, but are not voting.”

Bill Lowther, 22, has not registered to vote until this year. He is doing so now because he plans on voting in the upcoming presidential election.

“In my opinion there was no one worth voting for so I didn’t register, but now I believe there is someone running that can change this country for the better,” Bill Lowther said.

Even though he plans on voting in the presidential election, Bill Lowther has no plans to vote in local elections.

“There is no point voting in Mendon because they keep putting issues on the ballot until they get passed,” Bill Lowther said.

Another Mendon resident, James MacDonald, 22, does not vote because he feels the vote has already been decided so each vote does not count. Although the Fisher College student is registered, he chooses not to vote in any elections.

James MacDonald’s two brothers and sister, who are all of age to vote, also choose not to, James said.

Politically active, Mendon resident, Nicole Macari, 20, plans to vote in the 2016 presidential election, and has already voted at the local level.

Nicole Macari will be at her school, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, on the day of the election, but plans to go home to vote. She would not want to get an absentee ballot if she could not go to her home town to vote because, “it takes too much effort to try and get one,” Nicole said.

For the Framingham State College student, Lindsay Jordan, 19, the presidential election in 2016 will be the first election she votes in.

Despite a controversial town election this past May, Lindsay Jordan has delayed registering to vote, she said.

“I wish I had registered to vote on the override,” Lindsay Jordan said.

For the presidential election, the Framingham State student plans to come home to vote. If she is unable to do so, she plans on getting an absentee ballot.

“I don’t think anyone should just throw away their vote just because they couldn’t make it [to vote], every vote counts,” Lindsay Jordan said.