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BHSU International Students Share Perspectives on Voting

Tuesday is election day in the United States. Foreign students can have a unique perspective on politics in America. For one thing, it's different here than anywhere else with campaigning and the right to vote for all American's.  But no matter where in the world someone lives, voting can make a difference. 

Like the United States, Mexico is a democracy, and they also have presidential elections this year.
 
“My name is Jorge Omar Aguilar Zamora I am from Mexico and I am in pursuit of a major in economics and finance.  If you are committed to your country and you want to see a change the best thing you can do is vote,” says Zamora.
 

Zamora says young people in Mexico have recently taken an interest in politics.
 

“They showed that they started to be interested in what is happening in their country.  Many of college students were talking about their interests, their concerns, they let people know what was bothering them.  They were pretty involved this year, more than any other year in election history in Mexico,” says Zamora.
 

Zamora says he will vote in this year’s election in Mexico.
 

Some countries like Turkey have both a president and a prime minister.  Turkey has a parliamentary democracy.
 

“My name is Kenan Sahin.  I am from Turkey.  And I also take some classes here in Black Hills State University.  It is important to vote because they are managing your country and they are building your future and your children’s future so you need to vote and you can decide your own future,” says Sahin.
 

Sahin says people have similar hopes and dreams, no matter where they are from.
 

“I believe that the policy’s job is to bring some ways to the world for peace and let’s say better world but if you just look at the current image it’s not happening that way, they just bring more troubles to us, more wars.  Every single country they spend a billion dollars for the war economy to guns and for what?  Just go to any street all over the world and pick one person and ask – everybody wants peace.  And look at the world…The guns, wars, blood, tears,” says Sahin.
 

Sahin adds that Turkey’s next presidential election is two years from now and he plans to vote.
 

Despite the fact that Mongolia is situated next to Russia and China, it also has a Democratic political system.
 

“My name is Bayan I’m from Mongolia I’m taking it here an English course.  Maybe only one vote is not important but group of votes – it’s going to be important for our government or our politics.  That’s our voice going to the government,” says Bayan. 
 

Bayan says that in his country the older generations are more politically active than the younger.
 

But in South Korea it’s just the opposite.  The younger are politically active and many have turned to the internet to have their voices heard.
 

“My name is Grace I come from Korea and I’m majoring in mass communication,” says Grace.
 

Grace says the internet has been a powerful tool for people wanting to make a political statement.
 

“Ah, they can act politically especially using Twitter or Facebook, like social network service.  I think our vote is our chance to express our feeling or opinion so it’s kind of strong, our power, for the citizen,” says Grace.
 

Korean citizens have not always had the right to vote.
 

And there are still countries where this is the case.
 

“My name is Masa I’m from Japan.  I am really happy to study history here.  Here in United States people have rights to vote but in Japan we have no right, we have no chance to vote for prime minister – only politicians have right to vote,” says Masa.
 

“Do you like that?” asks Amy Varland.
 

“No, I don’t like,” says Masa.
 

Masa adds that he hopes voting rights for Japanese citizens will become a reality one day.
 

For many students here and abroad, politics is an important subject.  And here in America there’s an opportunity to change the course of history.  But to do that must first come exercising basic rights – like casting a ballot.