Dear Eligible Voter,

Have you voted yet? I am sure you are aware that this year the United States is in the midst of electing a new president. It does not take a politician or a highly educated scholar to have been following the past few months of comedy, chaos, and unexpected turns this year’s election has brought. Although I live on a college campus that also happens to be a swing state, I find that I cannot walk more than ten feet without being harassed about registering to vote, voting, and joining campaigns for either of the candidate’s parties. I know at times this can be annoying and feel overdone, especially when you are in a rush to get to class. But I am here to explain to you three reasons why it is so important that you vote this Election Day.

1. It’s Your Civic Duty

We live in the year 2016, and we are lucky to live in a nation with a representative government. Our country was first founded by men and women who fought in a revolution, an entire war, to form a free nation, a democracy. People died to create a country where the power rests with the people. Our voices dictate what our government should be like, so it is important to remember that, self-government is a freedom that people killed for, and that did not always exist. Throughout the years the right to vote has continued to grow through protests, civil disobedience, and determination. Now, people of all colors and genders have the opportunity to vote. So don’t waste or take for granted that opportunity.

2. Your Vote Matters

In many past elections, we’ve heard people preach this idea loud. With millions of votes cast in total in our country, casting your one vote can feel like such a small piece of a giant process. It might feel intimidating and as if one simple person will not make a whole lot of a difference. But if this was the way everyone thought about it, what a huge difference it would make. I just recently turned 18, and I am so taken back that the first election I get to vote in has turned out to be such an important one. For the first time, viewers that have not recently been interested in our countries politics have focused their attention on to this matter. There has been more drama and surprises than could have ever been predicted, and with spicy debates, WikiLeaks and SNL, the U.S. presidential election has become a sort of an entertainment affair.

This is not an article that is intended to persuade you to vote one way or another, but instead to just encourage you to exercise your right to vote. There are so many people who are unhappy with the presented candidates who are choosing to not vote at all. To those people I say, your vote matters. This is an election where the polls have often been tied or consistently within single digits percents of one another. Not voting will influence the election because your voice will not be heard. It’s okay if you do not know which candidate you like more, or which one you hate the least. To this, I would suggest you pick one topic that you care about, one that really matters to you, and look at the opposing views from each of the candidates regarding that topic. For more information on how to do this take the “I side with” quiz before you go to cast your vote. Skipping the election entirely is a bad idea. You do not want to have regrets when all of the votes are in and counted.

3. Vote Because It Will Make You Happier

I talked a little bit about your civic duty and what it means to vote. What I did not mention was how your civic duty and democracy play into your level of happiness. Well, as it turns out your happiness can be dependent on love, justice, and well-being. Just being a part of a group is an important way for you to sense your belonging. Collective action among young adults has been shown to boost individual self- confidence, sense of meaning, optimism, interpersonal skills, satisfaction with daily activities, and self-efficacy. A great way to do all of this is to get involved in civil society! What is a way someone could get involved in civil society? VOTE! There should be ample information wherever you live about this election. Not only are you helping society and a greater whole by voting but you are also helping your well-being! It is super easy and quick to register to vote and to find a local polling station at which to vote. This opportunity only comes around every four years, don’t miss out on your chance to let your voice be heard. Don’t vote because you can, vote because you should.