As the 2020 Presidential Election looms closer, the threat of young voters not showing up is growing. Citizens aged 18-29 have been known to pass on their civic duty of electing public officials, so will this year be any different?
In the 2016 Presidential Election, only about 46% of voters age 18-29 came to the polls on election day. This is in comparison to voters aged 45 and above who averaged about 68%. (census.gov)
Many reasons were cited for being unable to vote, with the largest reason being that they were too busy or did not have enough time to vote. Another large reason is many young voters didn't know where to access polling stations or where to register. This has been an increasingly important issue because it means there is not clear enough information available that is easily accessible to young people.
If you have registered to vote in your state, or have requested an absentee ballot, you are an example for others. Encourage your friends to vote and show them how.
Voting should be a priority no matter what age, race, or gender because your voice matters and there is no better way to show where your priorities lie and to show who/what you support.
Now it's time to share the 3 reasons why voting is important, especially in today's world where there are so many candidates and causes to think about.
3 Reasons Why Voting Should Be A Priority
1. It should be easier this year
With the coronavirus pandemic upending many of our celebrations and traditions, many states have switched to all mail-in ballots or partly switched. The Center for Disease Control has encouraged mail ballots to protect citizens from large gatherings and the need for extra precautions.
Five states have switched to voting only by mail: Hawaii, Colorado, Oregon, Utah, and Washington. The other 45 states fall into one of two categories: states that require you to cite a reason as to why you need a mail-in ballot and states that don't.
Read this to find out what your state is doing: https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/501577-heres-where-your-state-stands-on-mail-in-voting
2. It takes less than 5 minutes to register to vote
39 out of 50 states currently have online voter registration which is simple and easy. All you will need is a state ID/Driver's License and the last four digits of your social security number. If you have access to the internet on your phone or computer, this is a very quick and easy way to guarantee your vote.
If you are in college or serving in the military and are away from your home state, you will need to request an absentee ballot, which normally would be a mail-in ballot, but now that states are doing much more mail-in ballots, this process is much easier than previously.
Register to Vote Here: https://www.usa.gov/register-to-vote
Get your Absentee Ballot: https://www.vote.org/absentee-ballot/
3. You should want to vote whether you like politics or not
Politics is something that affects everyone's lives, directly or indirectly. The public officials that we elect are our advocates with the federal government and with other countries. Many other countries do not have the freedom to elect their leaders, and the fact that so many people take voting for granted is very distressing.
Your choice to not vote means that you cannot complain about the outcome of the election or about our current political situation because you did not participate. People that have decided to not take part in the greatest single event of our democracy, regardless of your political standing or views, is a sign that our system is broken and more needs to be done to ensure the success of our and the growth of our ideologies.
Our country needs participation. If there is no participation there is no growth.
"You've got to vote, vote, vote, vote. That's it; that's the way we move forward. That's how we make progress for ourselves and for our country." - Michelle Obama
