By Kaitlyn Rodriguez
The upcoming election is less than two months away and is currently a huge topic of discussion. This election year, it is extremely important for our generation to use our voices and go out and vote, as this will determine our future.
Young voters like us may tend not to realize how important our voice is and neglect the importance of voting in general. Regardless of sides, our vote is still important, and it is crucial to educate ourselves on the current political issues our country is facing.
Some may not realize why we should vote in this upcoming election, so here are some reasons why it is significant for us to go out to the polls.
Every Vote Matters
Now, I know that this is something we all hear, but it’s true. We may feel that our voice does not matter, but it does. Having the ability to vote gives us so much power to create a positive change for our country and can also help us create the future we want to see for ourselves and our family. Young voters might not care now, but that can change in four years. The more our generation votes, the higher chance we have to make our change group become more powerful and key to our country. Believe it or not, young voters are key elements for our candidates, which can help sway the election.
Recent Issues Are Relevant to the Youth
Today, our generation is more focused on identity politics rather than party politics. This leads to us being concerned about social issues like abortion rights, gender identity, race, social class, etc. These are issues that we are most aware of and are something that can affect all of our futures. Social issues are also something we each have our own belief in, and this plays a huge part in this election year. If we go out and vote, this can help us use our voice to express what we want done now and for the future.
If We Don’t Vote, the Older Generation Takes Over
Older generations will determine the future for our generation. This wouldn’t make much sense, since they may have a different mindset than us. If we want to see more of the issues we care about, then it is important for us to use our voice to express that. Many of us might disagree with the older generations’ viewpoints, which is why the more of us vote, the greater chance we have to see changes in what we care about.
Young Voters Offer New Perspectives
When it comes to our generation, we offer lots of diversity. Our diversity in race, gender, sexuality, and class shows a wide range of people who can represent current social issues. Our perspective on topics can shine a new light on situations and help make a change for the better. This can also lead to new solutions, which may be what we need to see and live the future we want to.
This upcoming election is set to be competitive, meaning that the more of us vote, the better. We all should want to feel represented, so it is up to us to go out to the polls and use our voices. Our first step is to get informed on topics we may be unsure about and then make sure you are registered. Stand up for the values you believe in; you should never doubt your voice and question if it matters.