Do you want to “Make America Great Again” with Donald Trump, or are you standing with Hillary Clinton by saying “I’m With Her?"

Whoever you like better, you NEED to go out and vote. It shocks me at how many people have told me that they do not vote, or have decided not to vote this election year. The 2016 Presidential Election is being said to be one of the most historic elections of American history, with the ability to have a significant impact on Americans now, and years to come. Thus, meaning that it is our responsibility as citizens to go out there and vote for our futures, and for the future of the country.

Research by USA Today shows that a large amount of young people, ages 18 to 24, are the people who aren’t voting. Many lawmakers, and presidents, that are voted into office have legacies, meaning the laws that they pass, or their policies, that outlive their time in office. This means that younger people especially need to vote, because the people who are elected now, could drastically change their futures, and the futures of the lives of the generations of voters coming after them. Everyone NEEDS to vote, and here’s why.

1. We Fought Long and Hard to Vote

From our country’s beginnings, people have been fighting to vote. During that period of our history, voting was held in such high esteem, because people understood how important it is to have a voice in their legislative and executive bodies of government. Now, voting can be seen as a nuisance, rather than an opportunity to speak out on issues that matter to you. People don’t want to go out and vote because it is seen as an inconvenience – whether it’s physically going out to vote, waiting in lines to cast their vote, or taking the time to inform themselves about the issues, people see voting as too much work. It’s a sad fact, because our ancestors fought for years upon years to grant themselves, and us, their descendants, the right to vote. It took 94 years – from the birth of America in 1776, until the passing of the 15th Amendment in 1870 – for all men, no matter what their race, to gain the right to vote. Women had a much longer fight – the 19th Amendment was passed in 1920, 144 years after the birth of this nation, which granted women the right to vote. Take voting as an opportunity to thank those who fought for each and every one of us to have this right, and to voice your opinion on the issues of our nation.

2. In a General Election, You're Not Only Voting for the President

In every general election, voting is focused and centered on the two major political party (Democrat or Republican) candidates – those two people who are trying to become the next president of the United States. What many people do not realize is that by voting, they are not only voting for a president, but for a whole entourage of people who the new president will eventually place in jobs in very high places. For instance, the president appoints people to his cabinet, which include the secretaries of 15 different, but major departments of our government. Some of these include the Secretary of Defense, and the Secretary of State. Also, depending on the political party of the president, it can sometimes determine the outcome of the major party that is leading in the House and Senate, which can change a substantial amount on what laws do and don’t get passed.

The 2016 Presidential Election has the potential to completely change the balance of power in the Supreme Court. This is because the President appoints those people he or she would like to be on the Supreme Court, and although they have to be approved by Congress, there are many SCOTUS (Supreme Court of the United States) Justices who are getting older, and may decide to retire, or may (unfortunately) pass away within the next four to eight years of the next President’s (possible) terms. Your one vote means more than just a vote for the president – it’s a vote that could help to change the entire balance of power between the two major political parties of our government, which can have a major affect on your life.

3. The Issues – Where Do You Stand?

There are many issues within our government that affect us as a nation, and the world. From climate change, immigration, gun control, and the national and global economies, the list goes on and on for what issues need to be fixed within our country, and around the world. Voting gives you the opportunity to tell the members of Congress, and the President where you stand on these issues. When talking in terms of the general election, each of the major political parties has different stances on the issues. For instance, if discussing the issues on gun control, the Republican Party believes in less gun control laws, while the Democratic Party believes in stricter laws. This puts it in the simplest terms – always do your research on where each party stands in order to cast the correct vote to represent how you stand on certain issues. So, if people didn't vote, our legislative and executive bodies of government would have no idea where anyone stood on the issues of our nation, and their job is to represent the people. How are they going to represent you, if you don't vote?

4. You Benefit From Voting

The more you vote, whether in local, state, or national elections, you as a voter benefit from voting. Why? According to Nonproft Vote, registered voters have a tendency to be more involved in their communities. This type of outreach allows you as the voter to connect with others in your community; from your neighbors to elected legislators, by consistently voting, it allows you to be more aware of the problems that may be present in your local community, as well as in your state, and in the nation. Voting can also make you feel better about yourself, and the issues you stand on. Nonprofit Vote discusses how “voting is a form of personal empowerment that gives you the opportunity to voice your opinion on issues that matter to you, your family, and your community.” Even if the person you vote for doesn’t win the election, it still is important that you vote, because your opinion on the issues were heard, and will still have an impact on legislation. Either way, you as the voter, are benefiting.

5. Your Voice Matters

The whole point of voting is to make sure that your voice is heard. Voting is more than marking a check mark by a name on a slip of paper, or in today’s digital age, clicking on a name on a computer screen. Voting is an opportunity for you as a citizen to speak upon the issues that are always developing in our society. And I get it; the entirety of our voting system can seem a bit confusing, and even frustrating at times. We vote through a process called "The Electoral College." If you don’t know how this process works, to put it simply, when you vote in a general election, you are really voting for electors who will then vote for the candidate that the majority of people have voted for in that state. Each state gets a certain amount of electoral votes that depends on their population. This means that the popular vote does not matter in our system of voting. Four times in our history, in 1824, 1876, 1888, and in 2000, presidents that were elected did not have the majority of the popular vote, but had enough electoral votes to become president. (Today, you need 270 votes out of a possible 538.) So yes, the whole process can be frustrating, but no matter what, voting is still extremely important. Voting gives every citizen in our nation a well-deserved and important voice.

At the end of the day, I can’t go on and tell you that you have to vote, because it’s also your right not to vote. But, by not voting, you are not even attempting to make your voice heard, or fix the multitude of problems that are plaguing our nation. Voting isn’t that difficult; by taking the time to keep yourself informed about the issues that matter to you, and your political party’s stance on those issues, it makes voting much easier, and much more worth it to you, and your future.

So, whether you’re voting for Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton, or protesting by “Feeling the Bern,” with a Bernie Sanders write in, take the time out of your day this upcoming November 8, to go out and vote. I promise you won’t regret it.