Election day is fast approaching and political discussion is thriving. Not a day goes by without mention of the debates, the candidates, the polls, the issues. I've had conversations ranging from serious to hysterical this election season. I know people who will vote as I plan on voting, and people who will vote for the opposing candidate, and I have read and heard from people stating that they won't vote at all. The latter view is the one that concerns me the most. As much as I care about keeping certain people out of office, it really troubles me to hear that some people won't bother showing up to cast their balloThere are several reasons why people lack the desire to vote. They say they aren't enthused by any of the candidates. But surely there is one candidate to be definitely preferred over the other. In this election in particular, there is a vast difference in the ideas being presented.

I've heard people say that the system is rigged. Well, how do they plan on fixing that? We vote people into positions of power that we believe can affect our desired changes, or at least come as close to our desired changes as possible. We try our best to vote for people who will help change the systems in place that we are displeased with right now. Not voting will do absolutely nothing to make change.

I've heard people wanting to stick to their conscience, that voting for any of the candidates this season goes against their morals. Well, again, this particular election is pretty polarized at this point; surely there is a candidate that could be seen as better or worse overall than the other. Is it moral just to sit by quietly and see someone you consider worse than another to take a position of power over the country?

But the reasoning that saddens me the most is when I see people adamantly believing their vote doesn't count. It does. It absolutely does. The mass of non-voters can completely alter how an election process goes. Plus, think of it on a smaller scale. We vote for our congressional representatives, we vote for governor, for mayor, for school district supervisors, for whether or not our communities will be considered cities. All those smaller, and smaller groups and people and issues put up for vote matter. It could be argued that those smaller elections have more of an effect on the individual, and that those smaller elections have an effect on the bigger ones. What good is a president for your preferred party if the congress is full of representatives that are for the opposing one? Why get all riled up about how the school system is working when you didn't bother voting for the people placed in charge of it? However it helps to think about it, just know every vote does matter, especially when there are those that don't vote at all. Not voting gives more power to those that do.

Ultimately, I'm absolutely not here to sway a person's vote one way or another, I just want you all to vote, period. Don't forget that there are elections happening constantly, that there are congressional seats up for grabs on election day as well as the presidential seat. Be aware of the changes that are taking place, of the people that are promising to make changes, and of the position of power you hold within this nation to make your opinion on those changes count for more than just words.