*DISCLAIMER* I want to make sure it's clear that the purpose of this article is not to mud-sling or impose my own views on you. I am simply voicing my concern after hearing so many others say they have the same thoughts.

I think we can all agree that this election is one of the biggest jokes in our Nation's history. Every day there's a new scandal. It's a huge he-said-she-said. The debates leave me feeling scared and anxious about my future and my country's future. Both candidates are pretty terrible in their own way, whether it's obvious or not.

So how do you vote when neither candidate is the kind of person you want running your country?

I can almost hear the comments now. "There's a third candidate! Vote for Gary Johnson!"

Uh, no. And I'll tell you why in a moment.

There is not one candidate on the ballot this year that I could honestly say I support 100%.

I'm a registered Republican, but I'd vote for a Democrat if I believed their views lined up with mine. But that isn't the case in this election.

On one hand, we have a narcissistic, rude, disrespectful business man who only seems to be in it to boost his ego. And on the other hand, we have a liberal, lying ex-lawyer who is responsible for four American deaths and has admittedly made deals for her own financial gain. And then on the foot (sorry Gary), we have the libertarian candidate who doesn't seem to be completely in-the-know about current, global issues and honestly has policies as bad as Hillary.

Thanks a lot, America, you've screwed yourself.

I remember when Donald Trump first entered the race. I was sitting in one of my journalism classes when my teacher asked a student from France what she thought about the election. The student said she talked to her parents about it and that everyone in France thought it was a huge joke and couldn't believe the American people would accept it. I couldn't help but agree with her.

I've never really been a fan of him. He constantly interrupts, I can never understand what he's saying because he doesn't always talk in complete, English sentences, and he acts ignorant half the time. The latest scandal about the comments he made about women eight years ago made me sick to my stomach. But, you also have to consider that he did apologize on national television and I do believe he has changed since then. Does that excuse his behavior? Absolutely not. But you can't judge him on those words when you won't judge modern rappers and singers for how they talk about women in their songs that are number one on the charts.

And then we have Hillary. Oh, Hillary, there's so much I could write about you. I'm still baffled at how she's even eligible to run for office. Political party aside, I don't understand how anyone who is suspected of TREASON and killing American people and then deleting government emails could be allowed to run. Nixon was impeached for less. But now, everyone wants Hillary because she could be the first woman president and women's rights and blah-blah. Oh, and she's never apologized for anything she's done. In fact, she's laughed about the tragic events that took place under her watch.

Have people forgotten how badly she treated the women her husband cheated on her with while he was in the White House? Do people not realize the deals she has made that have benefited her and the Clinton foundation but hurt other people? Are people conveniently forgetting that she's being investigated by the freaking F.B.I.? And then there's good old Gary Johnson, the Libertarian candidate that everyone is trying to support because the main candidates are so awful. I have news for you; he's just as bad. We don't hear much about him because he really doesn't have a chance of winning. I'm sorry, but it's true. If you take a look at his policies, he has more liberal views on things. He agrees with Hillary on most issues, so if you vote based on policies, he probably isn't a good choice. From what I have seen and researched, Gary is not qualified to run the country. From struggling to name a foreign leader he admires, to asking what Aleppo was, to saying he was glad no one got hurt in a string of violent attacks like the New York City bombing and Minnesota mall stabbing where dozens were hurt. He just doesn't seem to be very aware of current events and issues.

WAKE UP AMERICA!

Basically, this election is going to boil down to voting for the candidate whose policies best fit what you believe. You can't vote based on how moral or what kind of a person they are. You have to look at what they stand for and where they stand on important national issues.

There's an interesting website a friend of mine shared on Facebook that I believe many will find extremely helpful. The site called ISideWith.com, lets you take a quiz with questions about popular issues such as abortion, gun control and gay marriage and then analyzes the presidential candidates and matches you with the candidate that fits your beliefs.

And that's the only way you can vote in this election. I will be voting with a clean conscience, knowing I am voting for the candidate that stands for what I believe in, from a political aspect. And that's what matters. I am not voting for one candidate because I hate the other. I am not voting for the lesser of two evils. I am voting for the one who will do things I believe should be done.

If you're a Christian, I encourage you to read this article by Wayne Grudem, a popular Evangelical theologian. He makes some good points about how to vote as a Christian in this election.

One final thought. I know that the idea of not voting is especially tempting in this election but I beg you to reconsider. Regardless of who wins, I want to say I tried. I want to know I did what I could to help my country. If you don't vote, you're saying you don't care what happens to your country or to your children. If you don't vote, that's one less vote for your candidate and one more for the opposing candidate. It's an honor to be able to vote so get out there and do it!

Whether you vote for Hillary or Trump or even Gary Johnson, I hope you are doing it based on their policies and not on who they say they are or have been portrayed as in the media.