It’s easy to turn on the television or open Twitter on your phone and become disheartened at America’s state of affairs, no matter where you are on the political spectrum. It’s even easier to fall victim to the belief that your voice won’t be heard, or that what you have to say is inconsequential and ultimately doesn’t matter. But that couldn’t be further than the truth.
Change starts when up-and-coming generations decide what they want to see and subsequently elect the people they feel will be able to meet their requests. Of course, the process is a bit more complicated than that, but it’s nearly impossible to get what you want if you self-disenfranchise.
If we don’t at least get to the polls and perform our civic duty, we tell everyone from the President, Senators, and Congresspeople down to local judges and mayors that we are content to let older citizens decide for us how the country should be run. There are plenty of topics that directly affect Generation Z: education and student loans, climate change, technology and privacy on the internet, reproductive rights, gun control, and the list goes on.
So how do we go about voting? Some of us are thousands of miles away from our homes. First, you have to consider if you want to vote as a resident of your home state or as a temporary resident of New York State. That is up to you. If you feel deeply connected to your hometown and want to make a difference there, definitely register with your home state. If you think you’d be better off voting as a New Yorker (or you live in New York already), feel free to register as one. Just keep in mind that you have to choose one state; you can’t double-register. You can follow this link to find your state’s voter registration website.
Regardless of your proximity to your hometown, if you’re not a Tompkins county resident, you’ll need to apply for an absentee ballot. Vote.org has a handy list of state requirements for absentee voting.
So go out and make a difference! Remember, we are the future.