You’re over 18. You’re a citizen of the United States. You’re even registered to vote. So are you? I know, I know, “my vote doesn’t matter” and “one vote won’t make a difference.” What if we all had that mentality? There are over 150 million people in the United States who are registered to vote. Of those, only about 35 percent turned up to the voting polls in the last presidential election in 2012, according to the New York Times. The election of 1942 is the only election in the history of the United States to have a lower voting turnout. So why don’t many people vote anymore?
There is a common belief among Americans that our individual vote doesn’t count, and the Electoral College ultimately decides who our President will be. The Electoral College gives the candidate with the majority popular votes all of the electoral votes of that state. What’s the popular vote? That’s where you come in! The Electoral College makes the decision based on who you and I vote for.
With almost 200 countries in the world, fewer than 50 give their citizens the right to vote. The United States is one of them. Far too many men and women gave their lives and fought in order to make sure Americans were given the right to vote. Don’t we owe it to them to exercise that right? The California Voter Foundation conducted a statewide survey in which over 90 percent of infrequent voters agreed that voting is an important part of being a United States citizen. So again: how come we aren’t showing up to the voting booths?
Many people say they don’t want to vote because they simply do not like any of the candidates. There’s no denying it: the media likes to focus on the negative, especially when it comes to politics. Their flaws are often made much more public than those of other individuals. However, even if you don’t like a particular candidate, you might be surprised how many of their political stances you agree with. Even if you end up choosing the lesser of the evils, isn’t it better that you exercised your right to vote?
The majority of people who do not take advantage of their voting right say it is because they feel they are not educated enough to make an informed decision. There is a solution! Educate yourself! It’s as simple as clicking that political article you would normally scroll past on Facebook. Or you could watch the news for a few minutes instead of mindless TV. There are even quizzes you can take that will tell you who you tend to side with most! You can check out one quiz here and you’ll see how much you agree with each candidate.
But voting on the local level is important too! Local elections help make decisions about issues in your direct community. These elections are for the immediate issues in your specific area that will directly affect you. Whether it’s voting for a law in your area or electing new officials, smaller elections are equally as important (if not more) as voting in a presidential or primary election. Don’t forget, every individual vote adds up and makes a difference!
There are plenty of excuses reasons people don’t want to go out and vote. But there are even more reasons you should take advantage of your right as a United States citizen and get into those voting booths!
