It is an exciting year for America—it is election year. For those of us who are finally able to vote for President or even for those of us who are finally old enough to actually understand what is going on, it is even more interesting.
Do you recall that moment when Barack Obama won the elections for the first time back in 2008? No? Me neither because I was only 11 years old. I probably didn't even know what a democracy was. The first thought that came to my mind when I thought "President" was the White House, not the duties and responsibilities that come along with the most important job in the nation. Then for the 2012 elections it seemed almost pointless to pay attention because we were told, due to the incumbency effect, that Obama would most likely be reelected.
This time around, our generation is able to watch the GOP, which we now understand is the Grand Old Party aka the Republican Party, and Democratic debates and form opinions, pick favorite candidates, and even participate in political conversation with our family and friends.
On November 8, we will cast our first votes for President. For the first time in our lives, we will understand the privilege of voting; it is something that we truly do not understand until we can actually play an active part in it. After registering, we will stand in a long line of real adults waiting to put a pen to paper. Because it will be our first time voting, we will probably spend a little extra time observing the ballot by reading each candidates name. We will finally make a real mark in this world. Our voices will be heard by the American government. When we watch the ballots get counted on TV, we will be wondering whether our vote will be a boost in percentage for the candidate we voted for and crossing our fingers that our candidate wins in our state.
What is the most surprising about elections to me is that there is always such a low voter turnout; I never could understand why people don't care more about government and politics, considering it effects everyone. It is essential that we spread the word and fight apathy this year. A common problem in the United States is voter turnout. Voting is something we should not be taking advantage of. There are still many countries in this world in which they are not given this opportunity and yearn for this liberty.
The expected voter turnout for a presidential election is right around 50 percent. For primary elections, expected voter turnout is between 15 and 20 percent. At the Iowa caucus on Monday, voter turnout was only 15.7 percent among eligible voters, which is a drop from the low voter turnout of 16.1 percent during the 2008 Iowa Caucus. I urge everyone to participate and stand up for what they believe in. Many people argue that one vote won't make a difference, but if hundreds and thousands of people are saying that, the impact is significant. If you are eligible to vote in this year's presidential election, but are not yet 18, you can still participate in the primary election in Wisconsin. The primaries are just as important as the final vote for President. Let your voice be heard, and vote in these elections!
