I guess I should start off by apologizing. If the SOS alarmed you I'm sorry. Well, actually, I'm not that sorry because our democracy is in a true state of emergency. Political views aside, America is facing a major crisis: barely half of the voting age population actually shows up at the polls. This figure is even lower in the midterms.
As a political science major, I'm hardwired to preach good voting practices to you day in and day out. But this goes beyond voting in Presidential elections. I'm not asking you to show up in 2020, I'm sure you will. I'm asking you to show up in the midterms when it counts just as much.
In the past couple of months alone, votes and elections have been decided by mere hundreds of votes, and still American's don't show up at the polls. Perhaps my biggest pet peeve, ever (in the whole land of free gift with purchase and world) is when people don't vote and then complain about the results.
News flash, every vote matters. Statistically, one vote isn't going to make a difference, people are absolutely right. BUT, when a few hundred people all share that same mindset, that decides an election. It decided the presidential election in 2000 and it has consistently swayed elections since then.
To date, America still has extremely low election turnouts. In 2014, a midterm that most people didn't seem to care about, America experienced the lowest voter turnout in 72 YEARS. It's not an exaggeration to say that America is in the middle of a voting crisis. And yes, it's hard to get registered, and yes, things could be changed about the process, but there is also a significantly large number of people that don't vote simply because they don't care enough. And that right there, that's the crisis.
I am all for election reform to make the process easier to vote in, I think it needs to happen. But if the government is going to reform the system, then those who can easily vote ought to be helping them do it at the polls.
This midterm election in November features a number of issues including immigration, LGBT rights, and more. So here's my charge to you: I'm not asking you to write your congressmen or women and I'm not asking you to go to a town hall (although they are pretty fun). I am asking you to speak up though, go cast your ballot and do your civic duty.
SOS America, get out and vote, I promise it's important.
