The upcoming 2016 election and its candidates have suffered a lot of criticism concerning their qualifications, past affairs, and governing potential of our country. Recently, it came out that the candidates who appear to most likely be representing the major parties of the United States are the most unfavorable candidates in the past several decades and that this is the only time all the major candidates (and yes I am talking about all three of the big names) have been deemed almost equally unfavorable with Trump earning a 60% unfavorable rating, Clinton eating a 53% rating(although that may have increased after the party acknowledged the email scandal--the ratings haven't been updated yet), and Bernie earning following close behind with a 51% rating.

Once these candidates began attracting attention, there was an uproar of disbelief. As a result of this disbelief, blame has been passed around, and it was even stated that the country is losing its moral compass. Many were also stating that we have lost our sense of solidarity. The blame can be thrown onto whomever you please, but the reality is this: no one is to blame except for the citizens of the United States, a.k.a. the voters.

I listen in anger and disbelief as my peers explain that their “votes don’t matter” and then complain about the officials that were elected. I am adamantly in favor of the statement “if you chose not to vote, you can not complain if your choice was not elected.” That statement does not mean that if one person voted differently then the results would change (well actually, I am not going to say that because anything is possible), but it does mean that if everyone of legal age to vote who is a citizen of this country cast their ballot, thereby standing up for who and what he or she believed in, I believe this election would be a very different one.

I have sat in my classes listening to my peers attempt to rationalize why he or she is not going to vote in the upcoming primaries and other elections going on, and I can't say I understand their stance; however, I do understand where that belief stems from because I have also sat in my classes listening to my professors tell their students “if you are not going to vote for ______ candidate, don’t even bother registering to vote.” This upsets me in more than one way, because rather than encouraging students to own up to their civic duty and take on the responsibility of voting, they are attempting to silence those who hold opinions different from their own.

Then I listen in even greater disbelief when those same professors rant about how awful this year’s options are—which, to be honest, they don’t have any footing to stand on for that argument, the reason being they are instructing the potential game changers NOT to vote. If the majority of the millennial voting population are not exercising their right to vote, then it shouldn’t be a surprise when the candidate they like is not chosen.

Another issue is that many do not realize how important EVERY election is. It is important to begin voting for your favorite candidate early and keep voting until he or she is either elected or drops out. Then it is equally as important to stay up to date with what candidates are saying and not just what the media is saying. View televised debates, attend rallies if you can, email their campaign team, reach out and get involved, just stay in the know so that when the next election comes around, whether it is a primary or the big shebang, there is no question as to whom you want to be our Commander-in-Chief, your state’s next Congressman or woman, or your state’s next senator.

These are the people that represent you and what you want. As a citizen of the United States of America, you have that right. However, without voicing your opinion *cough* casting your ballot *cough* it will never be heard or even acknowledged. So just do it, America, rather than keeping up with the Kardashians in real time, record it, go out and vote, then come back and watch your reality TV… or the election; I promise that will be filled with more than enough drama.