For a lot of my friends, choosing whether or not to vote in this election is a daunting decision. The options on all levels of the political spectrum seem less than ideal to most, with a ballot list filled with controversial characters. As a first-time voter myself, I want to prove to those considering not voting that their vote matters. Here's my spiel.

1. It's your civic duty!

You are an American citizen. First of all, congrats! Second of all, voting for our political leaders is at the core of what makes our democracy so great, so use that power to do some good.

2. Your vote can change the course of this race.

Michelle Obama put the importance of young voters into perspective last week while campaigning for Hillary Clinton to a crowd at George Mason University.

“Elections aren’t just about who votes, but who doesn’t vote. And that is especially true of young voters like you,” she said. “In fact in 2012 voters under the age of 30 provided the margin of victory for Barack in four key battleground states: Pennsylvania, Ohio, Florida, and right here in Virginia.”

She also explained that Obama won his re-election in 2012 by just 31 votes per precinct in Virginia, nine votes per precinct in Ohio, and six votes per precinct in Florida. But regardless of whether you hail from a battleground state or not, you can be the difference between who wins this election and who doesn't.

3. Your vote affects the future of our country.

I know this seems like a scary concept, but your vote can change the course of history. Electing a political leader into office is not a task to be taken lightly, so do your research before heading to the polls in November. Think about what issues matter to you and how each politician will address those issues. And as much as I hate to say it (because George Washington was right in saying political parties are dumb), vote for either Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton. Statistically, third-party votes for the Presidential Election are about as good for the election as not voting at all.

Visit the US Vote Foundation's website to register to vote or request an absentee ballot. If you plan to vote absentee, make sure your request is in by at least a month before the election, although deadline by state varies. No matter how you vote, just do it! It's a right and a privilege to be able to do so.