Potential student voters should take advantage of opportunity

Potential+student+voters+should+take+advantage+of+opportunity

Abby Neal, Web Editor-In-Chief

In a little more than a month, 30 students will have their first experience influencing the future of our nation.

Voting for president every four years is one of the most impactful ways citizens can participate in our nation’s politics. Unfortunately, however, many young people flout this key opportunity to determine the path our country follows.

According to the United States census, only 38 percent of eligible voters between 18 and 24 years old voted in the 2012 election.

If you are 18 years old, it is your civic duty to vote in the election Nov. 8, even if none of the candidates perfectly represent your interests.

There are a few important pieces of information potential voters must know before showing up ready to vote.

Eligible voters can register online, in person or by mail. The deadline to register is 21 days before any election. To vote in this year’s presidential election, registration must be complete by Oct. 18.

Even if you won’t be eligible to vote this year, you still have a responsibility to educate yourself. Keep in mind that you are not separated from the 2016 election just because you cannot directly participate in it.

It is also important to be politically aware, because elections do not only occur every four years. Midterm congressional elections occur every two years. This means that approximately half of the current high school population will be able to make their national impact in the next election cycle.

The choices the eligible voting populace makes directly impact everyone in the country, and not voting is a choice that has real consequences. The mind set of most non-voting youth is that their vote does not matter, that they are one voice in a sea of millions.

While this is technically true, the problem of this phenomenon begins when this attitude is widespread. Young potential voters greatly outnumber older generations, but by not participating in elections our voices are smothered. One voice is weak, yes, but when millions of citizens do not bother to input their opinion then these voices have a real effect.

Apathy is one of the most potent forces in American politics today. The nation’s youth, although we have wider access to information and current events than any generation in the past, votes at appallingly low rates. For this year’s presidential election, young citizens should work to break the trend of low voter turnout and take an active part in the future of our nation.