I have heard so many millennials say over the past year that if one candidate receives the nomination, they won't vote and if another candidate receives the nomination, they won't vote. I have heard excuses like, "I don't know where to register.", "I go to college in another state." and "I don't know anything about the candidates." As a generation, we need to stop making excuses and go out and vote. We have the power right now to make a difference in the world. You may think that your one vote doesn't matter, but it does. Your one vote is what helps choose candidates for primaries, what elects our state officials, and what helps decide our president. Let's stop relying on others to make decisions for us and lets start making them on our own. Let's start taking ownership of our country again.
When you choose not to vote, you are ultimately saying, "I don't care." You don't care about what happens to our country, how we can improve as a nation, where your money that you work so hard for goes to at the end of the day and who you want to be in charge of protecting your fellow citizens. I know that many of you choosing not to vote, do indeed care about those things. I know that you care about the welfare of our nation. So, why not have a say in it?
When you choose to not go to the polls, you are forfeiting your say in our government. By making this decision, you are disregarding what the 15th Amendment of the Constitution says:
"The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, color or previous condition of servitude."
We have the right as citizens of this country to vote and we should act upon that right.
Voting is our way of communicating with the government what we would like to see change in our country. If we do not vote, should we really be complaining about our government? Should we be complaining about situations that we did not make the effort to stop? You can figure that one out for yourself.
So, why should we as young people, vote or want to vote?
Voting is not something that came easy for all Americans. We have had people fight for years and years, throughout history, to be given this right that we take for granted.
Let's put it in perspective...
The Constitution was ratified in 1789.
African-Americans were not granted right to vote until 1870. Women were not granted the right to vote until 1919. For one demographic it took 81 years and for another it took 130 years. They fought for the right to vote and to be able to have a say in their government. If these people were alive today, how do you think they would feel if they knew we were not going to the polls because we did not care, were upset that things did not go the way we wanted them to or were too lazy to put in the effort? My guess is that it would not make them too ecstatic.
You should vote because it is your right and duty as a citizen to do so. You should vote because your choice has an impact on the federal, state, and local government. You should vote because you care about the state of your country, your state you community, your friends and your family. You should vote because you live in the greatest country in the world and you should honor the rights that you are given as a citizen.
Stop making excuses to not vote. Go visit your town/city hall and register. See how you can receive an absentee ballot, if you will be in another state on election day. If you do not know where to go, simply Google, "Where is my polling place?" This will lead you to sites like vote411.org. Vote411.org will give you unbiased information on candidates, tell you about election information and tell you where you can register and vote.
It is very easy to go out and vote. If you want to see change in your country, it starts with YOU. Stop relying on other people to make decisions for you and educate yourself on candidates, issues, platforms and the state of our global society. We can make a difference, if we take the first step and show up to the polls.
