This election season has been very intense and all over the place. It’s my first election, and I’m honestly wishing I didn’t have to choose between these two candidates. I’m sitting here hoping that I wake up on November 8th and the country decides Obama needs to stay in office until we get different candidates who aren’t sexual predators or hiders of 30,000 confidential emails. That being said, it’s important that on November 8, 2016 every single person goes to the polls and votes. Voting for the people who run our country is not just a right you have because you live in the free country of the United States, but it is your duty. It is my plea that no matter who you vote for, you make an educated vote based on who you think should be a leader in our country.
I know that most people my age believe that they are forced to pick between the “lesser of two evils,” so I’m not going to push a specific candidate to vote for. It’s already November, so I’m sure everyone’s mind is made up. Instead, I’m going to plead for something else: vote for your congressman. Vote for your governor. Vote for your mayor. Vote for those who will actually make a difference in the world. I know we like to think that the president has all the power and can make all the decisions about our lives, but that’s not reality.
While the president may be able to veto what congress is trying to pass, congress can then turn around and override his veto. The members of the House of Representatives and the Senate are the people who will pass the laws and truly make an impact on your day to day life. That being said, these are often the people most forgotten about when it comes to a presidential election.
Research who is on your ballot. Google your county and you will have access to anybody on your ballot, whether it’s the president, or the school board. Don’t vote a straight ticket just because your parents are Democrat or Republican, or you like the Democrat or Republican candidate. Do your own research, make your own opinions, and vote for the people who actually matter. Don’t go in blind. Be educated and make good choices.
And if you don’t vote, you lose your right to complain about what’s going wrong after the decision is made.
