While the last day for New Yorkers to show that America is #StrongerTogether or to #MakeAmericaGreatAgain is Oct. 14, many other states still accept voter registration applications up until the day of the election.

CAS sophomore Alex Ortiz hails from California, but he decided to register in New York to experience voting at the polls instead of sending in an absentee ballot back home.

“As a Democrat voting in Assembly District 65 [a historically blue area], I understand that my vote will most likely not impact the results of any of the elections on the ballot, presidential and down ballot,” Ortiz said. “New York is a safe state for Hillary, and Democrats are going to sweep the congressional, senatorial and state assembly seats in my district.”

Ortiz said that he voted for Hillary Clinton in the primaries and looks forward to voting for her again this November. Although New York historically sides with the donkey, California’s voting record is just as blue.

However, LS sophomore Michael Lin is a Queens native and said that he still registered to vote in his hometown Queens so as to not take the chance of getting Trump into the presidency.

“I think for every election — not just the presidential one — people should go out and vote,” Lin said. “This upcoming election, however, is arguably one of the most important elections yet to come. It’s going to be a decisive battle over the course our country takes next: either a step towards continuing the progress we’ve made so far and improving them or stepping back and reversing a good amount of the improvements we’ve made.”

Lin also said that this year’s election plays an important role in how other nations view America and will possibly determine who the country’s future allies are.

CAS sophomore Alexander Atamanov said that he considers himself a centrist, but he registered to vote as a Republican in the New York primaries to cast his vote for Trump.

“I’ve had my share of dirty looks and condemnation from my peers, especially since I live in a liberal state while attending a liberal university, but I’ll take the heat and continue to express my opinions rather than keep my mouth shut and hide in the dark,” Atamanov said. “In my first year of voting eligibility, I’m entering the political scene with one very important concern in mind: national security.”

He said that after hearing and watching reports about ISIS infiltrating and taking advantage of the migrant crisis in Europe, he finds that the loose United States national security is a large problem. Therefore, he looks forward to voting for Trump again this upcoming election.

“Our very own President Barack Obama won’t even mention the words ‘radical Islamic terrorism’ to avoid upsetting our enemies,” Atamanov said. “This is why I look towards Trump as our last hope before our country is completely immobilized and rendered defunct. Of course, many protested when Trump proposed a temporary ban on Muslim immigration as a sign of discrimination and intolerance our country was known to be against.”

He likened Trump’s policies to former Presidents Lincoln, Carter and Roosevelt with suspending habeas corpus, deporting Iranian students and sending Japanese-Americans to internment camps respectively.

Ortiz thinks that at the end of the day, students should cast their votes as a way to express and support their viewpoints.

“I think it’s my civic duty to vote, and young people have enough problems with turnout,” Ortiz said. “I can’t complain about young people not caring about politics and causing Democrats to lose midterm elections if I myself don’t vote.”

Email Téa Kvetenadze at [email protected].