Super Tuesday. GOP. Caucuses. Primaries.

     If you’ve been on social media or flipped through TV channels in the last few months, chances are that one or more of these terms have caught your eye. Many people would raise their eyebrows and simply move on to the next post or channel. However, two students at NHS are clicking on those posts and viewing those channels in order to spark a discussion.

     Seniors Jack Thompson and Melissa Baker have created a weekly podcast called “Politically Correct,” which is published every Sunday on iTunes and SoundCloud.

     “It is basically a rundown of two or three stories from the last week in politics and then a deep dive into something that really matters,” Baker said.

     The podcast’s main goal is to educate students and help them create independent opinions on who to vote for, according to Thompson and Baker.

     “I think you see it a lot where kids just without question vote for who their parents vote for,” Baker said. “What we’re trying to do with this podcast is to get people thinking about who they’re voting for beyond just who their parents like and what their parents’ values are.”

     Being involved in creating the podcast has helped Thompson familiarize himself with all that is happening in the days leading up to the election.

     “I’m constantly online reading articles and watching videos these days to keep myself updated,” Thompson said.

     Baker also has experienced firsthand the benefits of following all the events leading up to the election.

     “I’ve been able to decide on my own [with the election],” Baker said. “I just look at their opinions and certain policy issues and how I feel about certain subjects and make my decisions based on that.”

     Thompson stresses the importance of exercising the right to vote in November.

     “Our government is a representative democracy and we are represented by the people we elect,” Thompson said. “Not everyone in the world has that privilege so it would be unfortunate not to exercise [voting].”

     Government teacher Eric Gundersen also acknowledges why a citizen should vote in the upcoming election.

     “We’ve obviously had lots of different groups of people who can’t vote,” Gundersen said. “I think recognizing that and understanding that they never had an ability to vote makes it all the more important to vote.”

     Gundersen also provides an interesting approach on how to vote in the national election and even the local/state elections that will take place in May.

     “I never think [voting for a party other than Democratic or Republican] is a wasted vote,” Gundersen said. “You are expressing an opinion. This is what you want as a voter. I can’t help but wonder how different it would be if more Americans said ‘Enough is enough. I’m going to vote my conscience, I’m going to vote my belief system.’ I would definitely encourage more people to vote that way.”

HOW TO REGISTER TO VOTE:

• Go to the Indiana Voters Registration Website.
• Have your driver’s license ready.
• Fill out the online form. It is completely free and only takes five minutes to fill out.
• Submit your form.
• Wait 5-7 days for your confirmation postcard to arrive in the mail.