Most people don’t think of their 18th birthday as a big milestone. For many people it means they can buy lottery tickets and cigarettes, and write a Facebook status about being “legal.” But for me, I was thrilled to turn 18, because it meant I could finally vote.

Some families have football, mine had politics. Whenever there was a debate or a presidential address, my family would lay out a spread of food and gather in front of the t.v. to cheer, laugh, and fuss. In high school I lobbied for human rights issues, and in college I started working on a senate campaign. I advocated for homeless voting rights and informed voters on why they should vote for a particular candidate, before I could even register to vote.

My parents are perennial voters. They vote in every election- primary and general- and they have been taking me with them for as long as I can remember. And although we take it for granted, not everyone can walk into a polling place and vote for whomever they want without worrying about their safety.

My father grew up in Colombia, South America, and although they have elections there, the high amount of government corruption present when he was younger, made those elections questionably fair. “There were fights in the street often bloody,” he remembers. Additionally, while our elections are close ballot, in Colombia they would mark the conservatives and the liberals with different colored ink to signify who voted fro whom.

So why should you vote? Because you can. Because so many people fought for you to have that right. Unfortunately, for many people here and overseas, voting is still considered a privilege and not a right. This very moment, in the U.S., people are still fighting for the right vote. In most states, felons lose their voting rights while they are incarnated, and in some states they must apply to have those rights implemented after the completion of their sentence.

Voting is important. My dad is only allowed to be a legal citizen of this country because legislation allows it. My mom, a black woman, is only able to vote because legislation allows it. My parents are only able to be married, because legislation allows it. And all of that legislation would not have happened if it weren’t for elected officials, or appointment officials chosen by elected officials.

If you think the government doesn’t affect you, you’re wrong. Maybe you’re a college student concerned about paying off your student loans, maybe you’re a mom who wants accessible organic food options, or maybe you’re a teacher that disagrees with common core- the government affects all of these issues. Why should you vote? Because you have no reason not to.

Now I’m not telling you who to vote for, I’m telling you when. November 8th.