The 2016 presidential election is rapidly approaching. The campaigning process for this election has been long-lasting, confusing, and even somewhat infuriating and humiliating. In fact, it has led to the unearthing of so many of the frustrating issues that underly our society that young people are considering voting to make a change. Still, here are five reasons why millennial voters should not exercise their right to vote in the upcoming presidential election.
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1. You can't vote unless you're registered, which sounds like a pretty complex process.
Luckily, though, it is not. In case you've forgotten, you can easily check to see if you are registered by visiting canivote.org. If you are not registered, you may live in one of the 14 states that allow for same-day voter registration. If not, you can register to vote online! It is a quick and foolproof process. Visit Rock the Vote to register and to find out important information such as the dates of upcoming elections for your state.
2. You won't be in your home state at the time of the election.
No matter where you are, there are ways to vote. Just like registering in the first place, requesting an absentee ballot can be done online in a matter of minutes. The Federal Voting Assistance Program has all of the information that you need to figure out how to vote from out of state or even overseas.
3. You don't know enough about the candidates to make an informed decision as a voter.
This is completely valid. Votes decide the future of our nation, so your decision should not be made lightly. Plus, not everyone has time to go to the library and hit the books to learn more about the candidates and the government. It's a good thing that we have the internet! Basic online comparisons of all the different presidential candidates' views on the issues that matter to you can be seen on a single website! It is worth the amount of time that it takes, as it will allow you to cast your ballot in favor of a future president who will enact the changes that you wish to see.
4. Millennial votes do not matter.
This makes perfect sense. Why should you vote if your vote holds no weight? Surprisingly, millennial citizens actually outnumber baby boomers and yet the views of our generation have not made as strong of an impact on the results of past elections when compared to those of our older counterparts. This is simply due to the fact that in the 2012 election, for example, 70 percent of people ages 60 and up voted, compared to only 40 percent of people ages 18-29. Between the ages of 18 and 60+, the likelihood of voting goes up with age despite the fact that an 18-year-old is just as eligible to vote as a 60-year-old. The problem does not primarily lie in the older generations having more voters, but instead in the fact that younger voters fail to exercise their right. This can only be changed by you getting yourself to the polls for the upcoming election. Deciding not to vote because you do not believe that your vote holds weight is a self-fulfilling prophecy and it only serves to benefit the people who are voting for the parties that you do not want to win.
5. You don't care who wins.
This is a great argument if you genuinely don’t care that the damage that we are doing to our planet is rapidly passing the point of no return and that you, your children, and your grandchildren are all going to pay the price of your “not caring.” Maybe you also don’t care about women’s rights, even though you are a woman, are in a relationship with a woman, were raised by a woman, or will raise a woman. Lastly, this reason still holds its validity for you if you somehow remain unaffected by any variety of inequality, the economy, foreign policy, health care, education, or any of the other fundamental structures composing the country that you are a citizen of. Otherwise, you should probably vote.
