With midterm elections finally upon us, new voices have registered to be heard in 2018. For freshman aerospace engineering major Luke Diel, the opportunity to vote in a midterm election is a great way to experience his first time voting.

“I’m excited,” Diel said. “I think it’s a very important time in our country, especially in the midterm elections. It’s important to go out and vote.”

Another first-time voter, Jacob Nicolas, freshman communication-sports broadcasting major, had his polling place moved to Waynesburg and is ready to cast his first ballot.

“I am actually going to be voting in Greene County; I set my address for Waynesburg,” Nicolas said. “I am hoping to have a quick process. I am not quite sure how it goes but I’m going to fill out my ballot, turn it in and hope for the best.”

While some students choose to vote in Waynesburg like Nicolas is, others like Diel chose to return home to vote.

“Its something I have been looking forward to for a really long time,” Diel said. “I voted in the primaries this year and I am excited. I’m driving an hour and a half to vote and I think it is completely worth it.”

Another voter returning home to cast his ballot is Will Purbaugh, sophomore accounting major. Purbaugh is not a first-time voter, but he is returning home to be a part of a family tradition he has been participating in for the majority of his life.

“For me, election day is one of my favorite days of the year. For as long as I can remember growing up, voting was always a family activity.” Purbaugh said. “When I was younger I would always go with my mom and grandma to the polls and help them vote. Once I started getting older and being allowed to vote myself I would go with my mom and stepdad and we’d go vote together.”

Confluence, Pennsylvania is home for Purbaugh, located in Somerset County. In Confluence, Purbaugh said voting is something the entire community gets involved in, which makes his voting experience different than those who vote in larger, more populated areas.

“What I think is unique is that afterwards, our town holds a spaghetti dinner that everyone goes to after they are done voting,” Purbaugh said. “It brings a real sense of community to something that was always meant to be a community event.”

Information regarding midterm elections and the candidates running can often be more difficult to come across than in presidential elections. Still, Purbaugh knows the importance of college-aged voters casting an informed vote.

“For us as college students, the results of this election and the next presidential election are going to be very key going forward,” Purbaugh said. “These elections have the possibility to set the policy that could be in effect for the majority of our adult lives and as a college student I definitely feel the importance of casting my vote for who I want to be the policy makers going into the future”