Last spring the city of Ames inundated my life with flyers, reminders and postal coercion to “Claim Ames” in the 2000 Census. They stalked me via telephone and hounded me until I checked off Ames as my domicile for the purpose of the Commerce Department, and the math lackeys had to synthesize the information about my ethnic background, ownership of electronics and access to flushing toilets.

I can see my civic-mindedness wore out its welcome in Ames, Iowa. Sure, I may reap the collective benefits of living in a burgeoning metropolis of 50,000 souls, but after April 1, Ames could have cared less about my presence and my voice.

I’m a registered voter in Story County and I, like many other ISU students who call Ames home, have received not one attempt by any city or county candidate to earn my vote.

I am a registered voter in a town that recently has tried to ban smoking in restaurants and tried to raise the sales tax in order to improve the local school district. But has anyone wishing to represent me bothered to contact me and express their views on these issues so that I can be an informed voter?

I’m on the political science department mailing list and I read two newspapers every day, yet I have had not an inkling about any of the dynamics of the local political process.

Have Ames or Story County candidates held forums for students at any venue on campus? Have we been exposed to any form of publicity by candidates for supervisor, zoning board or sheriff? I haven’t even gotten a flier on the windshield of my car!

Local political decisions have a large impact on university students, but our voice seems to be unimportant in the election process. For example, the sheriff’s office will play a large part in determining the success and safety of the Veishea celebrations this spring, and many Iowa State students have received no information on anyone running for sheriff.

The zoning board is important to us as well. A large part of our university experience and culture is shaped by the way space is used around the university for business, housing, and recreation. Imagine if the zoning board gave the green light for a huge industrial park near campus or if it banned the expansion of franchises in Campustown.

Local political bodies exercise regulatory power over traffic planning and street repairs, economic growth and taxation, city culture and appearance. One could claim that ISU students are more directly affected by the political climate and goals of the local government than national politics, simply because of the direct relationship between Ames government decisions and our economic and aesthetic well-being.

A real-life example follows:

Ames Police Officer: “I’m sorry, but under an Ames city ordinance, it is unlawful for you to have this couch in your yard. That will be a fine of $110.”

ISU student: “What?!? This couch isn’t even on fire yet!”

The mainstream media and political analysts decry our generation’s voter apathy. They lament our disinterest in the national political process and cajole us into believing our vote can make a difference in matters of foreign policy, social security reform, and the environment.

Special programs and zeal (as well as untold millions of dollars) have been devoted to snagging the vote of the young people of America. Imagery of the sacred tradition of representative democracy has been employed to woo many first-time voters to consider their civic responsibility and constitutional right as nothing to be taken lightly. Yet many young people remain disillusioned by the insincerity they detect in national candidates. We see our interests as being trivial or under-represented at the national level. However, the campaign for the young person’s vote continues to be waged, but not in Ames, Iowa.

The encouragement to vote at the national level is hard to swallow when a city of 50,000 people ignores half its population during the election season only to embrace them when the head counters are out.

I am sorry to be going to the polls next week knowing that I am not a valued participant in local political affairs and that my voice was too insignificant for a local candidate to bother campaigning to my demographic group.