One of the most pressing events going on right now in America is the presidential election. On November 8th, 2016, millions of Americans will go out and cast their vote for the candidate they feel is best equipped to run the country. Although there is a lot of animosity involved in the election, the primary issue isn’t even which candidate wins. It’s whether or not people go out and vote in the first place.
According to Statistic Brain, a research institute that gives information to publications like The New York Times, there are about 219 million people who are registered to vote. Out of all those Americans, only 57% came out and voted in the 2012 presidential election. Voter turnout varies based on specific sociodemographic groups, yet the key here is that it’s not 100%.
What stops people from coming out and voting, especially in pinnacle elections like ones for the presidency? Some may not believe that their vote will really make a difference. This belief might be strengthened if someone lives in a state that is firmly one political party and they share the opposite view, like if a Democrat lives in the Republican state of Texas. It’s easy for some to buy into the belief that because there are supposedly so many people voting, their one vote doesn’t have to be utilized. Life may also get in the way. Millions of Americans who can vote also work. If they can’t get away from their job before the polls close, or have a family to take care of right after work, voting might become another chore that is deemed as less important. Another deterrent to voting is anger about the candidates, or apathy about the state of the nation in general. It may become a huge emotional barrier for some Americans. If someone hates the main candidates running and believes that the whole system is faulty, voting becomes even more unnecessary.
Although these ideas regarding voting exist, not buying into them and making it to the polls on election day is crucial. In the upcoming 2016 election, numerous factors about the daily life of an American are at stake; the health care system, climate change, military spending, gun control, and women’s reproductive rights are just a few. The political party make-up of the Senate and House of Representatives is also up in the air; whether or not the Republican party maintains the majority or if it’s given to the Democratic Party will be determined in this presidential election. Every vote involves these decisions, not just the person that becomes President. Due to this, it is necessary, if someone is able, to utilize the American right to vote. Millions of people in other countries don’t get this chance. For the United States specifically, although it may seem hard to believe, it has only been 96 years since women got the right to vote, with the passing of the 19th Amendment in 1920. One hundred years later, a woman may be the President of the United States. However, that isn’t what’s truly important; the right to vote at all is.
Throughout history, so much was at stake and so much was given up by Americans in order to obtain the right to vote. Living in a country where each person gets a say in the way their government functions is a special concept that millions of people living in other places wishes they had. On November 8th, 2016, I will be at my local polling place, voting in a presidential election for the first time. I will make my voice heard and aid in cultivating change. I urge, and hope, that all Americans who have the right to vote will use it and join me.
Works Cited
“Google Images.” Google Images. N.p., n.d. Web.
“Statistic Brain.” Statistic Brain. N.p., n.d. Web.