Allow me to start by telling you a story about my voting experiences this year.
Several weeks ago, I filled out a form for advance voting by mail, since I go to school in a different state than the one in which I'm registered. I mailed it in before the deadline, assuming everything would be taken care of. I was promised that I would soon receive a ballot in the mail.
Weeks later, I'd still gotten nothing. After several confusing conversations, I finally discovered that there had been some error in sending my ballot to me. Several more ballots were sent out, yet none of those reached me either.
Finally, this past weekend before the election, I decided that I had had enough. I searched online for some polling station right across the Kansas-Nebraska border. The drive would still be a solid three hours, but at least it was better than the five-hour drive to my hometown of Wichita, Kansas.
If you see the pattern here, you'll know that it couldn't be so simple. Law requires everyone to vote in the county where they were registered. If I wanted any hope of voting, I would have to pack up and take the five-hour drive (ten hour round-trip) to Wichita.
It may seem like a hassle (because it definitely was), but within ten minutes of reaching this conclusion, I was packed and ready to go. I didn't even have to stop and think about it. If my only options were to spend ten hours in a car this weekend or not vote, my decision was easy.
I went to great lengths to exercise my right to vote, and I'm urging everyone to do the same. So many people often feel as though their voices aren't heard, yet they skip their best opportunity to create change.
I'm not speaking to you now as someone with an agenda. I've already voted, and by this point, I assume that most people have a pretty good idea of who they're voting for, if they haven't yet. My goal at this moment is not to sway you from one candidate to another. Each and every vote matters, regardless of party affiliations.
The important thing to remember is that there is so much more to election season than just president and vice president. Your ballot is filled with different government officials and political decisions that require your informed opinion. Change can be made at both the federal and state levels.
Lastly, remember that every elected official is in office because ordinary voters put them there. The people have the power to change the course of the nation, so it's up to you to vote. Trust me, it's worth the trouble.
