BY BEN GORMAN

The high school library was flooded with voters this past Tuesday. The school became a much different place as it was turned into a voting precinct. To most students, the extra people and commotion was a nuisance, but a few of the seniors were provided with a milestone experience.

First-time student voters had a few concerns as they prepared for their first experience at the polls.

“I heard that the wording on the ballots would be confusing,” says Jonathon Saxton.

“I heard the workers wouldn’t help you if you were having trouble,” Jane Spooner explains.

Both students found that these rumors were false.

This election held ten major issues and a mayoral election in Mariemont. Although everything on a ballot is important, the students decided that Issue 2 and the mayor election were the most significant.

Voting yes for Issue 2 was a vote to put Senate Bill 5 into effect. This would cut the benefits of public employees in order to keep Ohio’s budget in order.

Nick Butcher explains, “Both of my parents are teachers and my uncle is a police officer, so the result (of Issue 2) will directly affect my family.”

The mayoral election is a historic one. Dan Policastro has been in office for ten years and has run mostly unopposed for most of this time. This year Councilman Jeff Andrews decided to run against the incumbent mayor.

This race raised a big stir for Mariemont citizens. “Mariemont is in need of new leadership,” says Claire Foran.

Spooner agrees with Foran, but she doesn’t believe Andrews is the leadership that the city needs. “I didn’t vote for either of them,” she confides.

Although all of the students had different experiences at the polls, they came home with the same lesson. “Voting is very easy and makes a big difference, there is no excuse not to get registered,” Long shares.