Letter to the editor: election important to students

Dear fellow Coyotes,

The election season is almost over — next Tuesday is Election Day. This election is very important to college students, especially in South Dakota.

Democrats up and down the ballot support education and want to make it more affordable. For example, local Democratic State Senate candidate Michelle Maloney has said that if elected she would push for a six year tuition freeze. Just think how much money that would save you each school year.

The other local Democratic candidates for State House, Representative Ray Ring and Marion Sorlien, support efforts to increase funds for the needs based scholarship program.

Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Rick Weiland has said numerous times that he supports Senator Elizabeth Warren’s student loan reform proposal.

This proposal would allow students to refinance their student loans at a lower rate. This would affect approximately 80,000 South Dakotans and would put $100 in the average college student’s pocket.

Rick’s opponent, Republican Mike Rounds, does not support this initiative and supports the abolishment of the Department of Education, eliminating the Pell Grant, which is essential to many Coyotes.

Democratic U.S. House candidate Corinna Robinson also backs efforts to make higher education affordable. She is a single mother who has put two sons through college and knows first-hand the financial burden of higher education.

Democratic candidate for governor Susan Wismer is also a vigorous advocate for education. Wismer is concerned about the many graduates from the Ed School leaving South Dakota for better salaries.

She supports increasing education funding to make teacher salaries more competitive. She also is concerned about the skyrocketing tuition costs at South Dakota’s public universities. She sees education as an investment and an engine for economic development potential.

It’s clear that Democratic candidates support you! Yes, you the student. That is why this election is so important. The Republican candidates don’t view education as a priority, but the Democrats do.

I urge you to vote for the slate of Democratic candidates on the ballot this year.

— Clay Hoffman, president and member of USD College Democrats