I am sure by now that you have seen the articles telling you why you should vote for Trump, Clinton or Johnson. Although I love seeing all of the different opinions that people have about this upcoming presidential election, I am concerned that we won’t follow through with our opinions by actually voting for the fellow candidates. I have no intention of voicing my political opinions about the candidates and don’t claim to be an expert on politics. All I want to do is remind people why it is so important to vote.

Samuel Adams, one of our Founding Fathers said, "Let each citizen remember at the moment he is offering his vote that he is not making a present or a compliment to please an individual—or at least that he ought not so to do; but that he is executing one of the most solemn trusts in human society for which he is accountable to God and his country."

Our Founding Fathers wanted us to have the ability to elect our leaders. They wanted a democracy where one person would not be able make all of the decisions for our country. Voting is one of our most sacred civil liberties. We get a say in how our country is run. It's our job to vote yet we sometimes forget this fact when it comes time to elect the next leaders of our country.

According to the United States Census Bureau and Statistics Brain, only 67 percent of our population that was eligible to vote were registered in the 2012 Presidential Election. And Only about 57.5 percent of U.S. Citizens registered to vote actually voted.

That means that out of approximately 218 million US citizens who were eligible to vote only 146.3 million people registered to vote in 2012. Then only about 126.1 million people actually voted.

So where were the 91.9 Million US citizens who didn’t vote?!

These are a few of the reasons why everyone needs to vote this coming November.

Your opinion won’t matter if you never show up to vote in November.

You can state how much you love or hate Donald Trump, you can state all of the good or bad things about Hillary Clinton and you can state that Gary Johnson is our only hope. Your opinion will never matter if you don't vote. If you don't vote, then you can’t complain that your candidate didn’t win. You can’t complain that the President is doing an awful job. You certainly don’t get to voice your opinions about what the other candidate could have done. Own your opinion by voting, otherwise your opinions are just a thought.

Your vote is your voice.

Voting is your right.

The Founding Fathers gave us the right to elect our leaders for a reason. Voting is your chance to voice your opinion in an effective way. You are the only person who can take away your right to vote. Maybe you didn’t vote because you thought that your vote wouldn’t matter or you were sure that America wasn’t dumb enough to elect one of the candidates. Maybe you don’t vote because you think the process is rigged, but how would you know that if you never vote? Your vote does matter. Let's face it—this coming election is going to be a close one, which means that every vote will count.

Your vote can make a difference, especially this election.

This year we have two major party candidates that have relatively low approval ratings. That really just means that the presidency is anyone’s game. I think it is safe to say that this will be a nail-bitingly, close election. 91.9 million Americans made the decision not to vote in the 2012 presidential election. Who knows what would have happened if those people had decided to vote... What would happen if you decide not to vote? You cannot just assume that your candidate will win because anything could happen. Just look at Brexit.

There are also a lot of people who have decided that they will not be voting for either of the major candidates because they dislike both of them so much. But you have to vote! There is too much at stake this year. If you can’t vote for one of the major party candidates, then maybe one of the other candidates can be your solution. Find someone to vote for even if you have to do a write in, which really wouldn’t help anyone— but at least you voted!

All I ask is that when you go to vote on November 8, 2016, make sure that you are making an informed decision. Get to know your candidate. Know everything about them: the good, the bad and the ugly.

What will your candidate do for our country? Are they the right fit? The truth is all of the candidates have made mistakes because let’s face it they are human just like you and me. Don’t judge them on their mistakes, judge them on how they fixed them and how they carried on.

Also, don’t forget to look at the rest of the ticket. You are not just voting for a new President. You are voting for Senators, Governors, Mayors and other elected officials.

Don’t let yourself get distracted by work or school. Don't decide that you are too busy to go vote. Everyone is busy. This is not an excuse. Don’t let yourself get wrapped up in the idea that everyone else is on the same wavelength as you. We aren’t all on the same wavelength. We all have different opinions about who would be a better leader for our country. So make time in your busy schedule— go to the polls and vote.

Vote with your conscience. Vote for the candidate that you believe will do the best job. Vote because it is your duty to your country. Don’t make excuses, just vote!