Everyone either acknowledges voting as a privilege or a chore, no in-between. If you’re one of the many who treats voting as a chore and don’t believe voting matters, keep on reading. Like many others, I used to laugh when people said, “every vote matters!” because how could a young person’s vote from a small town like Paducah truly matter in the grand scheme of things, you know? After doing some research on voting/politics in general, I quickly realized how powerful a political force the young generation could be if we all stood up for what we believed in and VOTED. Young voters account for over half of the voting population, yet older Americans are still much more likely to vote. While it might feel like voting doesn’t affect us because we’re only in high school, voting at this age ensures that our generation has the power and voice to directly influence issues that might affect our lives for years to come.  

In an era in which Twitter is the preferred means of communication for the President of the United States, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube have become just as crucial as popular TV news networks when it comes to learning information about presidential candidates and voting. In today’s tech-savvy world, there is no excuse not to vote because you don’t know enough about the candidates. In fact, one might find it harder to escape day-to-day political news than to purposely follow it. Obviously, one shouldn’t believe everything read online, but the thriving online political climate is a great way for the younger generation to learn more about politics and the importance of voting. 

Having the opportunity to vote, especially at this age, is a privilege that should not be taken for granted. Since we have the chance to vote, why would you not want to have a say in what’s going on in your own country? Regardless if you feel like voting for a president just isn’t something that affects your life right now, some people’s lives depend on the votes. While we might not yet be struggling with issues like college debt, finding a full-time job, or paying rent, it won’t be long until issues like those become a slap in the face and are our new reality. Even though you can’t predict who or where you’ll be in four years, you can be sure that the candidate elected into office and the policies they implement will impact your life in the coming years. Paving the pathway for our future starts now. Don’t be silent on November 3rd. Let our generations voice be heard by getting out to the polls and VOTING!