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“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.”

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Good afternoon, Thorobreds.

Tomorrow is a historic day in our country. This election is one of the most important in our lifetimes.

As educated and informed Thorobreds, I encourage you to exercise your right to vote tomorrow.

You may hear a lot of people who are discouraged by some of the campaign choices, however, it wasn’t long ago that a segment of our population ? women ? were denied the right to vote. Women gained suffrage in 1919, which means your great-grandmothers were alive during a time when they were prohibited from casting a ballot.

In addition, African-Americans, Native Americans, Asians and Latinos have all faced challenges to voting at various times. And, in some cases, those obstacles continue, but when we all go out to vote, our power is undeniable.

As Americans, this election is critical at every level – local, state and national – and can directly impact your life in a myriad of ways. It can impact how future generations pay for higher education. It can impact how the national economy performs over the next four years (or longer). It can impact criminal justice issues across the nation. These are reasons why your vote will make an impact.

You can find a Franklin County polling place near you by clicking here (https://vrsws.sos.ky.gov/VIC/).

The University will be closed, as you know, so we can help the country’s future by voting in tomorrow’s election.

 

Aaron Thompson, Ph.D.

Interim President