Culver-Stockton College students attended an ACE event Thursday, Sept. 17, celebrating Constitution Day. The event focused on the importance of the Constitution, voting rights and civic participation in the United States.
The event gave students an opportunity to learn more about the country’s voting system and the responsibilities connected to citizenship. For international students, the discussion also gave them a chance to compare voting procedures in the United States with those in their home countries.
Arjun Johal, an sophomore international student attending the event, said he initially decided to participate because of an extra-credit opportunity in his accounting class.
“My accounting teacher, Miss Janney, said that if I went there, I could get extra credit for my class,” Johal said. “I wanted the extra five points for my accounting class.”
Even though he attended for academic credit, Johal said he found the event interesting, especially the discussion about voting in Missouri.
“He was explaining how different people can vote and making sure that we actually vote so that we can make a difference,” Johal said.
As an international student, Johal is not eligible to vote in U.S. elections. He said he is not particularly interested in American politics because he is living in a foreign country.
When comparing the U.S. voting system with the system in his home country, Johal said he believes voting in his country is simpler.
“I think when I go back home, I’ll vote,” Johal said. “All I have to do is go down the road and put my name on a ballot. But here, I feel like there are so many things that you have to do, and it gets a bit too confusing.”
The event’s organizer, Dr. Scott Giltner, said Constitution Day should be more than an annual event. He said it should remind people about the Constitution and their role in the voting process.
“To me Constitution Day is an annual reminder that the Constitution isn’t supposed to be something that just sits there in a corner,” Dr. Giltner said. “We are all supposed to be familiar with, treasure it, and interact with it through our votes and our becoming informed citizens.”
Dr. Giltner also said the event was important because students should understand their rights and how the voting system works.
“This event, and really any one that focuses on your rights as a citizen, are critical because they hopefully model the kind of engagement with the constitution we like to see,” Dr. Giltner said. “Everyone should know the document, everyone should be aware of voting procedures.”
Dr. Giltner also discussed the Electoral College and said he supports keeping its current structure. He said the system was created to provide a balance between states with different population sizes.
“I am not one of the people who thinks the Electoral College needs to be eliminated,” Dr. Giltner said. “We created it for a reason — to offer some balance between the big states and small states.”
Dr. Giltner also compared the U.S. system with other countries. He said Mexico and Brazil have some similarities because they are democratic republics with presidents and separate branches of government.
“Mexico and Brazil come to mind. They are both democratic Republics. Have a president and separate branches of government,” Dr. Giltner said.
The discussion also covered differences in voting laws between states. Dr. Giltner said states have different rules for voter registration, absentee voting and how elections are handled.
“Yes, voting is different in each state according to the primary process, how votes are counted, when and how you can register, rules for non-resident voting, whether or not you can do vote by mail,” Dr. Giltner said.
For Culver-Stockton students, the event connected Constitution Day with the practical realities of voting and civic engagement. The discussion gave both domestic and international students an opportunity to think about how voting systems work and how citizens participate in government.
