It's no secret that the 2016 presidential election is more controversial than ever. With two candidates who have faced their fair share of scandal, every news headline is nastier than the next. While the Internet in theory helps the decision making process by giving millennials unlimited access to information on the election, posts about both Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton tend to be hateful rather than educational. It is difficult to take this election or even America seriously when the two people in line to be the leader of the free world are constantly being mocked and turned into internet memes.

It seems like every advertisement I've seen has been set up to slander the opposing candidate. It is easy to pick a candidate to hate, but shouldn't we be picking our president because of the positive things he or she will do once elected? There are a select number of issues that have been in the spotlight of this election year, but there are so many more important aspects to each candidate's politics that need to be considered. I know memes of Trump's toupee can provide entertainment for hours, and Hillary "Just chilling in Cedar Rapids" gets me every time; however, bad hair and awkward vines do not reflect what the candidates truly care about.

If you've already written off Clinton for being a criminal, do you know what she really wants to accomplish for our nation? If you refuse to vote for Trump because he's a racist, are you aware of what he wants to build besides the wall? No candidate is perfect. Especially this year, each candidate does have downfalls, but I truly believe if either of them are in office we will be okay. We have a checks and balances system to guarantee it. There may only seem to be one face of our country's leadership, but there are hundreds of both elected and appointed officials that work to make our country better every day.

This November I encourage us all to vote for the issues and not rely on only the things said in the media. Take some time out of your day to research about the issues important to you and align yourself with that candidate. There's no need to feel judged or ridiculed for who you choose to be the best president for America. It is a personal decision that does not need to be plastered over your social media if you do not want it to be. Every person over 18 in this great nation is entitled to a vote and that vote is yours.

Here are some links to make it easier.

Hillary Clinton's Policies https://www.hillaryclinton.com/issues/

Donald Trump's Policies https://www.donaldjtrump.com/positions

If you find yourself terribly opposed to both Trump and Clinton, don't disregard the entire election. There are third party candidates that you may not know about yet. Check out this list of them http://2016.presidential-candidates.org/?other=oth...