Every four years Americans go to the polls to vote for a president.

It has become too common for us to hear reports of shrinking turnouts and increasing youth-voter apathy.

As a college student and a Democrat, I am heartened that one of the candidates in the 2004 presidential race is doing his part to reverse this trend: Howard Dean.

Gov. Dean believes in welcoming new people into the political process who previously felt excluded. He is attracting people from across the political spectrum — Republicans, Democrats, independents, seniors and college students like myself.

He is energizing working people, women and minority groups who have been a foundation of our party for years, but sadly have been taken for granted by party leaders in recent elections.

It does not take a Ph.D. in political science to understand the legitimacy of our electoral process will be brought into question if voter participation continues to decline without remedy.

Howard Dean is the candidate who is doing his part to reverse this trend and make voters feel they have ownership of the political process.

Joel Taylor

Junior

Political Science