It’s time to talk about the election again. Please don’t close out, I promise this isn’t another article about the candidates, parties, or the issues. There’s something more important than all of that, and that is you. Yes, you, the voters, are the most important part of this election. We have the power to influence the fate of our country, and we need to wake up and realize how important voting is.
I know that this election hasn’t been what anyone was hoping for. We’ve been awaiting the year we’ll finally be able to vote, and we got this outrageous, scandalous, and generally ugly election to participate in. Maybe some people are genuinely excited to vote and support a candidate that they believe in, but majority of voters are incredibly disheartened by the outcome of the election campaigns so far. If you can’t find a candidate who you think is a viable option for the presidency, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t vote. Voting is the most important way that we, as citizens, can voice our opinions and beliefs about the issues facing our country. Don’t waste the opportunity to make your voice heard. So many people have taken to social media to express their passionate discontent. The spread of information for this election has been like no other thanks to social media, but unfortunately that doesn’t mean anything unless the feelings and words expressed in these posts are acted upon.
The presidential election also isn’t the end all, be all to the American government system, there are so many public offices that influence government that have nothing to do with the presidency. Voting for even small scale local officials can still have an important impact on our country and the values we represent.
I’m not going to try to tell you who to vote for, but I will implore you to think about the values represented by the candidates, and the values that they would contribute to the country if elected President. Our country has its flaws, and nothing is ever perfect, but allowing hate and discrimination to spread throughout the country is completely unacceptable. We cannot stand by and allow our country to regress into racism, sexism, and xenophobia. We’re better than this, and now is our time to affect change. So please, use your voice, and use your vote. It’s important now more than ever.