The last few months have seen a flurry of presidential hopefuls announce bids for the presidency. With over 20 candidates from across the political spectrum, it can be tough for someone who does not follow political news to know the difference in each candidate's political stances and which one agrees the most with their own personal political beliefs. In an attempt to narrow the candidate lists down to the best choices for each party, a presidential primary is held in early 2016 (exact date currently TBD). This is an important opportunity for people to learn about the candidates and make what they feel are the best decisions for their country.

One major issue the United States faces in terms of elections is low voter turnout. One of the most common reasons why someone chooses not to vote is because they may feel like their vote won't matter. This is a big issue, particularly for people whose political viewpoints do not line up with the majority of the state that they are living in. For example, a Democrat in Alabama, which tends to vote for more conservatives, or a Republican in Massachusetts, which tends to vote more liberal candidates, may not see a point in going to the polls and could choose to skip the process all together. While this a common view people have across the country, it is also a bad one to have. Just because the majority of the people in a state tend to vote one way doesn't mean they always do. A good example of this was in the 2008 election when Indiana, a state that had been a red state since the 1960s, voted for Obama.

Now the main point of this article is to explain to readers, especially college readers, that their vote counts more than they may think. A lot of young voters tend to skip out on voting, especially in midterm elections more than others. No matter where you may be when the time for the general and primary elections come next year, make sure to mark your calendars to remember to go vote. Not only will your vote count more than you may think, it is also an important tradition for American people to vote. Many of your ancestors fought and died so you could have the right to vote and it is important to use that right. Over the next year, spend a couple nights watching the news and listen to what candidates have to say on current events and on important political issues so that, when the time comes, you are able to make a confident, educated vote that matters to the future of America.