How important is your vote? In the 2000 presidential election, the state of Florida was decided by only 537 votes of nearly 6 million casted in the state that day. Al Gore received 2,912,253, and George W. Bush received 2,912,790 – and with it, the 25 Electoral College votes that won Bush the White House. No matter who you voted for, your vote did make a difference.
But in an all too familiar pattern, general election voter turnout for the 2014 midterms was the lowest since any election cycle since World War II, according to early projections by the United States Election Project. Just 36.4 percent of the voting-eligible population cast ballots as of November 4, 2014, continuing a steady decline in midterm voter participation that has spanned several decades. The last time voter turnout was so low during a midterm cycle was in 1942, when only 33.9 percent of eligible voters cast ballots.
“American citizens that do not vote causes less people to have a say in our government, which underrepresents the Americans population holistically” Monica Schell ‘18 states. Alarmingly, it’s the young voters who have been notably apathetic. According to The Economist, in 2010, a mid-term election year, just 21% of voters between the ages of 18 and 24 cast a ballot.
Sadly, the truth is, nowadays, many stray from the process for varying reasons, many of which have to do with the attitudes of registered voters who are apathetic to voting. Some common attitudes are “My vote doesn’t count,” “I am too busy,” or “These issues don’t affect me.” Unfortunately, when it comes to voting, many people feel that they are just a drop of water in a vast ocean. However, one vote does count because power is in numbers. Fundamentally, a vote is a powerful form of expression and is the foundation of a democracy.
As people of a democracy, American citizens should fulfill their civic duty of voting. Throughout our enduring history, countless Americans fought and died in wars for our freedoms, including the right to vote. The least a citizen can do is take an hour to go to a polling center and exercise this earned right. There is no doubt that voting may interfere with our schedules, but being busy is not a justifiable excuse. Voting locations are normally in close proximity to our homes and have flexible hours. Additionally, the ability to register as a voter has become easier because of our technologically advanced world today. With the internet today, it takes about five minutes to get all the registration and voter information for your state and county.
Within the past few decades, lifestyles have changed dramatically. Young voters of the 21st century are taking more time to settle down, encompassing the aspects of owning a home, marriage, having children, etc. Without the responsibility of these financial commitments, young voters frequently feel as if the topics of voting do not pertain to them. In 2012, fully 59% of registered voters turned up at the polls for the presidential election. However, in 2010 the turnout of people aged 18 to 24 was just 21%. When many young registered voters were questioned about why they chose not to vote, the most popular response was that politicians are selfish and do not share similar priorities with the citizens.
Anina Ku ‘18 reflects, “I think that a lot of people simply don’t care because they are already satisfied with their lifestyle, especially younger generations who are allowed to vote. Politics isn’t as glamorous to a majority of them as some of the other hobbies Americans have the privilege of enjoying.”
And now the question is posed: how are we going to engage more registered voters to participate in voting? The foundation of this issue returns to the idea of young people. In order to instill good voting habits, high schools across the nation should implement new school assemblies for seniors before Election Day. These programs will emphasize the importance of voting as well as, provide brief overviews of the candidates participating in elections. Whether they are local, congressional, gubernatorial, or presidential candidates, their stance on specific issues can be presented to the students. This way, students are encouraged to think about their own beliefs and see if they align with any specific issue. Thus, students may become more passionate, which ultimately increases the chances of voting. Even seniors not of 18 years of age and lower grade levels can benefit from the reiteration of the importance of voting.
The civic duty of voting is one that should not be taken lightly. It is one voice, with the many others, that can change the direction of a community, nation, and even our world today.