With election season coming to a close, there has been plenty of time for people to research and formulate opinions on the candidates on the ballot. Yet, there are still voting-age U.S. citizens shrugging their shoulders when asked who they’re voting for or even if they will make it to the polls. I’m not saying that you should spend every waking moment of your day watching for political news and updates on election predictions, but I do think you should care. Here’s why…

1. Voting is one of our country’s great privileges. So many people on this planet have no say in choosing the leader of their country, much less many of the freedoms we have as U.S. citizens. While it doesn’t seem like a big deal to check some boxes on a piece of paper, it’s a huge deal. Don’t take it for granted.
2. You are able to share your voice by voting. Going along with the freedoms of being a U.S. citizen thought, you have the opportunity to speak up and speak out. Stand for what you believe in and stand strong.
3. Every vote counts. It might seem that your one vote is so small and will get lost in the large number of votes, but if even a seemingly small percentage of people believe that, the election results could be drastically different.
4. The winning candidate has the power to change our future. We are picking the individual that will run our country for the next four years. A lot happens in four years so we have to make sure we are choosing someone whom will change our future for the better.
5. Your vote has the power to change our future. Since every vote counts and the winning candidate has the power to change our future, your vote has the power to change the future too. If you refrain from voting, you are giving that power to everyone else.
6. Voting is not a difficult task. I know we all have busy schedules but it’s not difficult to get in your car or on a bus and ride to your polling place. Just do it.