With continuous budget cuts to higher education and high unemployment rates, one would assume that college students would be motivated to vote.

Unfortunately, many aren’t and California in particular faces this issue.

According to a 2011 Public Policy Institute of California fact sheet of likely voters, more than 42 percent of likely voters in California are 55 and older, even though they make up only 20 percent of the state’s adult population.

David Baggins, a political science professor at CSU East Bay, says that it’s common knowledge college students rarely vote in elections.

“Most statistics overwhelmingly show that college students are the group least likely to vote,” said Baggins.

Youth voter turnout rose to 51 percent in 2008 with the presidential election, an increase of two percentage points from the 2004 presidential election, according to the Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning and Engagement.

With all of the issues facing young college students today, they need to start getting involved and voting, not taking this precious freedom for granted.

When you think of the struggles in American history endured by women and racial minorities for the right to vote, the idea that students don’t vote in elections is disrespectful for those who fought for all those rights in the past.

According to Baggins, the importance of voting can’t be underestimated and the advancement of society directly depends on it.

Not only does the advancement of society depend on voting, but voting gives people the chance to make decisions on issues that will affect their future, such as the economy, health care and climate change.

Baggins says one of the main reasons college students barely vote is because they don’t pay taxes. They also take the prices of college education for granted.

CSUEB student, Winfield Ye, is one of the many young college students in California who doesn’t vote.

“I don’t vote because I simply don’t have the time to,” said Ye.

While time constraints may be one of the many explanations for why many students don’t vote, it’s still not a valid reason when you consider all of the things that college students have at stake.

From tuition rates to financial aid to being able to get a job out of college, students face a number of issues that create incentives to be active in the political system, yet many students fail to see the importance of voting.

“[Students] don’t vote because they are not exposed to it, they don’t really read or know what’s going on out there,” said Jonathan Nguyen, a CSUEB student.

If college students took the time to educate themselves on political issues, then they would likely see voting is important and has a direct impact on them.

Students must also understand that with the ability to vote they hold as much power as any other group in the political system.

Many politicians campaign on issues such as lowering taxes and ensuring taxes are not raised to attract older voters. This has an impact because taxes are a major issue for those who actually vote.

“People always complain about how much college costs, but what’s the point if you’re not going to do anything?” said CSUEB student Venil Anaimaiya.

If college students came out in large numbers and started voting, then politicians would have no other choice but to start paying attention to issues important to college students.

If college students continue on the current path, then politicians will continue to cut budgets for higher education because they know that the people who are being affected don’t care enough to do anything about it. Politicians will be able to continue doing what is in their best interest for reelection, since no one is speaking up.

College students need to step up, educate themselves and get active. Voting in elections to get their voices heard and demand change, because that’s the only way it will ever happen.