What does it actually mean to vote? My definition of voting is giving an everyday person the right to choose who will be the next leader of their country, state, city, town, or community in which they live. This leader will attempt to accomplish the goals which they claim that they are going to fulfill. Any everyday person in the U.S. has the ability to pick and choose who they want to run their country. It's a pretty big deal to vote then, isn't it?

It is shocking to say that only a little over half of the U.S. population voted in the presidential election of 2012. It is sad to see majority of a nation not vote when our founding fathers fought for that freedom to vote. The United States of America is built off of people who died for the sake of our freedom, our equality, and of course, our right to have a government where we can vote.

I truly feel blessed and privileged to live in a country where I have the power to make a difference by simply casting a vote in a ballot. This vote is more than just a decision between competing candidates and parties; it is a decision that will affect the future for generations to come. Sometimes it's hard to fathom that my one minuscule vote will make a difference in an election when there are nearly 319 million people in the U.S. that also share that opportunity to vote. Though, in the long run my vote still matters, even with this perspective in mind.

Living in a country where the population is capable of choosing their next up-and-coming leader is such an honor. Sometimes I feel like it's easy to forget how other countries do not have this right and are not given a chance to cast a vote and make a choice for their benefit or their children's benefit for the years to come. Think about it; that one vote will affect your future, or your future children's future, and their future children's future. I am going a tad overboard, but you get the idea, right? Your vote does matter because it gives you the opportunity to have a voice.

The Constitution of our nation declares "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." This is what makes voting such a noble gift in our country; anyone can go and vote despite color or race. What matters is the people's decision. So I urge you to go and vote, even if you feel conflicted between candidates, or despise both candidates. Vote because it is a gift that people fought and died for you to have.