SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — For some voters, this will be their first time casting a ballot.
20-year-old Nolan Ferri is planning to cast a ballot on Tuesday.
The Augustana student is excited to vote for the first time.
“Especially this year. I don’t know if it’s because I’m the age of voting, but it just feels like everything is more intense, ramped up, and there’s a lot of pressure,” Ferri said.
Anna Soderborg is also looking forward to it, but the 18-year-old is a little nervous.
“I don’t really know how the whole process works yet, but I know where I’m going, so we’ll figure it out,” Soderborg said.
Both students say Amendment G is important to them.
It would establish a constitutional right to an abortion under a trimester framework in South Dakota.
“Obviously I care about nationally too, but the whole thing with Amendment G and everything, that’s really important to me, women’s rights,” Soderborg said.
“I think for me in the past couple of years, especially coming to college, my faith has grown a lot and so my opinions on certain things has as well,” Ferri said.
Meanwhile, 20-year-old Schaler Starks says she’s been focusing on Amendment F.
The constitutional amendment would allow the state to impose work requirements on people eligible for expanded Medicaid benefits, with some exceptions.
“I think health care needs to be accessible to people, especially in a rural community like South Dakota,” Starks said.
All three students agree it’s important for young people to be engaged in the election.
“I think it’s really important that we fulfill our civic duty and this is one of the ways we can do that,” Starks said.
“I think a lot of young people think, ‘Oh, I’m too busy or I don’t have time,’ but we’re the ones who will be living in the world. It’s not like we’re retiring soon. It’s the world that we’ll be living and working in especially, so it’s very important because it applies directly to us,” Ferri said.
To get prepared for voting day, head to Your Local Election Headquarters.
