Voting is your right. As you have been told from childhood, voting is an important right that you should exercise. By voting, you make your voice heard on how you believe our government should run. Many students are under the impression that their vote will make no difference, but history has shown that just a small number of votes can decide elections. Voting can show your opinion and help make sure elections really do reflect the voice of the citizens.
Voting also allows you to shape the way our society runs. If you have strong opinions on any of the social issues at play, study up on what different candidates’ opinions are, and vote to support your beliefs. Politicians are always making decisions that affect everyone, from social security benefits to education budgets to student loan rates. As college students and future wage earners, you have a vested economic stake in each election.
College students also make up an important voting bloc. Since there are so many Millennials, our votes can swing elections. Unfortunately, Millennials oftentimes do not vote, especially not as much as older citizens. If we all voted, we would be able to change the makeup of our government. Furthermore, because politicians recognize that many Millennials do not vote, they choose not to address issues that students are concerned with. If more students voted, politicians would be forced to support initiatives that we want them to.
Because we are the youngest voting demographic, we should be the most concerned with the future of our society. Voting in elections now can impact the future, like how judicial officials are appointed for life by officials we elect.
We live in a time where politics is hotly debated, and our country is split on a lot of the important issues. Each action taken at the lower levels will work its way up to affect us nationally and internationally. As students pursuing higher education and moving our way up in the world, this is the time for us to get involved.
According to a New York Times article, only about 18 percent of the college bloc voted in 2014, compared to 37 percent of the overall population. Since the 1960’s, voter turnout has declined for almost every age group, but young adults have the lowest turnout rates because they have not yet established a habit of voting.
Campus Vote Project has published statistics about college students and voting. Young adults represent about 21% of the eligible voting population, but only about 17% of that population actually voted in the 2014 elections. In 2014, only 42% of 18 to 24 year olds were registered to vote—the lowest number in 40 years. If students mobilized, they could change elections.Americans recognize the importance of voting in our democracy, yet millions of eligible voters do not partake in elections. Nationwide, so many people are barred from voting, so if you can vote in this upcoming election, if you have the power to change the course of our nation’s history, you should take it.