This year’s presidential race is one for the history books. No one is sure what history books those will be, but most are sure there will be some type of cartoon character on the front.

It’s insane— an absolute mess. Today’s media takes candidates’ flaws and scandals and streams them ‘round-the-clock for all to see. The looney bin is even more exaggerated by the off-the-wall, hot-tempered reality star who doesn’t come with a filter or traditional presidential tact and the qualified politician who still seems to leave questions unanswered.

The hot mess of candidates to chose from has many people chanting that they are simply not going to vote this year and an abundance of Americans have lost faith that their vote would be counted anyway. But this country was built to be “For The People, By the People,” and choosing not to vote is giving up the chance to have a voice at all.

So, sure, I think it’s fair to say that most are not smitten with either primary parties' nominee. Both candidates have some major issues to cite. But when choosing a future president, it’s important to remember that they may not have every quality you'd like or be straight on target with every issue— you may agree with their economic policies but not their foreign plans. You may love aspects of their social reform while some ideas fall short. Being a smart voter is about listing out the pros and cons and choosing the best candidate whose plans are similar with the majority of your viewpoints. Even if one candidate has only a few goals that you agree with, it’s still a step in the right direction.

Unfortunately, these people are what we have to choose from in 2016. But there are other options, other candidates on the ballot as well that are not the major party nominees, and your voice does count for something. It is important to vote because it keeps the voice of The People alive much more than not voting at all would. The People's power has always been in numbers— if no one votes, all power is lost.

Most importantly, generations past have fought for your right to have that voice. If you’re African American, if you’re a woman— there was a time when you didn't even have the right to vote. So, make it count. Research— really research, beyond Facebook and Twitter, and get out and keep your right to a voice in your government alive.