As the start of 2024 creeps closer, we are approaching an important time for the United States: the presidential election. We seem to be gearing up for yet another hectic campaign season, and come November, voters of all kinds will come out to cast their ballot for our country’s next leader. Hopefully, that mix of voters will include a high percentage of young voters. 

            Historically, young voter turnout in the United States has been pretty low. According to Tufts University, around 50% of eligible youth voted in the 2020 presidential election, and only 23% voted in the 2022 midterm election. While these percentages may be higher than that of past elections, they are still remarkably low. We as young voters have the power to change a lot about our political landscape through our votes, and it is a power that more of us need to start using. 

            One of the reasons youth votes are so important is because we are the most diverse generation to have this right. All citizens, no matter their ethnicity, gender, religion or sexuality, have the constitutional right to vote, which has not always been the case. With a more diverse group of voters, we can vote for candidates that better represent everyone. Our representation matters just as much as that of older voters, and the candidates we vote for should reflect that. 

            Youth votes are also important because the issues on the ballot affect us, too. We are the ones who will have to deal with the consequences, both good and bad, of the political decisions made now. Environmental issues are a great example of this: whatever our government decides to do about the environment now will be our issue to deal with 15 years down the line. We should have a stake in the game when it comes to those decisions. You may not particularly care about the government right now, but you might care about the decisions they make later on. Voting ensures that you have a say in those decisions and your future. 

Being an informed voter is also easier than it has ever been before. You can connect with political candidates and read articles about legislation that you don’t understand all thanks to the internet. There is absolutely no reason anyone should say that they can’t vote because they don’t know enough about the candidates – the information is quite literally right there. 

Voting itself is also easier than ever. You can register to vote online, which takes no more than a few minutes of your time.There’s early voting leading up to voting day, so you have numerous opportunities to go out and vote. Absentee ballots are also a secure and widely available method for voting. This is especially great if you are an out of state college student who can’t make it back home to vote. There are plenty of options here, so saying “I don’t have time” is not an excuse. 

You may feel like your vote will not make a difference amongst the millions of other voters in the United States, but in reality, every single vote matters. Youth voters represent a large chunk of the voting population, and if we all think that our votes don’t matter, there won’t be enough of us to make the changes we want to see in our government. When we come together, we have the ability to make a significant impact on our representation. 

As we prepare for election season once again, remember that it is your duty as an informed citizen to vote. It is your responsibility to make sure that your representation represents you, and that can’t happen if you don’t cast your vote. Your vote is your opportunity to have a say in our government, so use it.