Editor’s Note: All opinion section content reflects the views of the individual author only and does not represent a stance taken by The Collegian or its editorial board. 

It’s likely that when everyone floods back to Colorado State University’s campus this fall, there will be no shortage of people trying to get students to register to vote. While the election is over a year away, it’s already looming over us like a dark cloud, and college students need to be prepared.

College campuses have a huge responsibility in this upcoming election that goes beyond just registering students to vote. They need to be providing information on the candidates, policies and issues that all play a role in this election. Information on the election needs to be easily accessible and in simple language so that students are not just voting, but caring about why they are voting and who they are voting for.

One reason a lot of students don’t vote is that they don’t feel like they are informed or aware enough to vote, but the cost of not voting is high in this election. In 2016, everyone assumed that a Donald Trump win was going to be a long shot — it didn’t seem as though voting would even matter. However, it’s almost more likely that he will win in 2020 because he is the incumbent, which statistically win at higher rates than their opponents.

Our lives and our planet are on the line, and college campuses should be working overtime to make sure students know who they are voting for and what they are voting on, not just that they are voting at all.

Just as important as the presidential election is the Democratic primary. The primary election, starting in March 2020, will determine the Democratic candidate that will be running against President Trump. This decision will make or break the Democratic party if the candidate is not chosen carefully.

This election is complex, dirty, overwhelming and scary, but it’s also one of the most important elections people our age will vote in. This election will determine if we will save our planet from global warming in time. It will impact how many mass shootings there are after 2020. It will decide if Americans will finally get affordable and fair healthcare.

Our lives and our planet are on the line, and college campuses should be working overtime to make sure students know who they are voting for and what they are voting on, not just that they are voting at all.

There is no room for error in this election.

A danger we are facing in this election is citizens thinking electing Joe Biden will give us another Barack Obama administration. The debates have already isolated Biden’s actions and beliefs from those of the Obama administration. Further, Biden does not have nearly the oration skills or composure that Obama did.

Kamala Harris was able to counter every statement Biden made, making us question if he would be fit to debate someone like President Trump. The Democrats want to pick the candidate that has the best policies to fight the issues we are facing right now, but that person might not be the best candidate to win against the current president — making the election more confusing and tricky. 

Not only should CSU be working to register students to vote, but they should be hosting information sessions on the candidates and policies. They should be printing easy-to-read pamphlets on the candidates, and they should be making the information as easy to access and understand as possible.

This is an election that a lot of people might want to avoid. Politics are messy, and yes, your life would likely be a lot happier if you avoided it altogether and didn’t pay attention. However, the issues that we are facing need our attention and our votes.

Our generation is on the line, and we have the ability to save ourselves through politics. 

Katrina Leibee can be reached at letters@collegian.com or Twitter @KatrinaLeibee.