On Nov. 5, 2024, I will walk into a voting booth for the first time and hand in my first ballot to be counted toward who will be our next president.
It may seem trivial to some, or even pointless, given the idea that one singular vote won’t impact
the outcome of our state, but I could not be more proud and excited to be able to contribute
to our society.
I grew up with a father who taught me everything I know about politics and our current society. For as long as I can remember, he would tell me about what was going on in the world. He taught me that staying informed was critical.
As the Washington Post says, “Democracy dies in darkness,” and my dad lives by that. He showed me how to be invested in our political system, and from that stemmed a strong awareness of my role in how to contribute to our society.
I learned to be invested in the news and learned how policies affected me as a person. In these
core values he instilled in me, there came a great pride in the idea of voting and a feeling of responsibility to our society.
I understand the discouragement and despair that so many people, especially the
younger generation, have towards our current political climate.
From the party polarity and hatred, and heavy issues such as abortion, race, climate change,
and international affairs on the forefront of many peoples’ minds, it can feel hopeless, as if nothing will ever change.
I have not been immune to this attitude, that I don’t even want to contribute when I don’t see a good future for me or my generation either way. However, while it is okay to feel the weight of our political polarity and feel like your beliefs fit nowhere, giving into that despair and choosing not to vote is dangerous.
Our democratic society lies on the foundation of the voice of the people. We, as citizens of the US, have the ability to say yes to policies we agree with and no to those we don’t, and the ability to choose a person to represent us based on the values and goals that we align with most.
While one vote may not seem to matter that much , each vote counts, because every person’s
vote together creates numbers that do make change.
And while it may seem like no political choice is even worth a vote, it is important to keep in mind that no candidate, ever, has aligned with every single personal value.
Every person is so different, it is almost impossible to find a “perfect” candidate. However, that
doesn’t mean that you should give up. It is important to stay educated on each candidate’s
agenda, and how it will impact you, whether good or bad.
Understanding this can give you an informed decision to vote for someone who may not align
with every opinion you have, but will align with some core morals and important issues. Not only that, but voting gives citizens more power than just voting on representatives and our president. It allows people to vote on proposed bills and or not they want them to become law; these votes
directly count toward bills that will affect your lives.
I could not be more proud and excited to become a new voter; no matter how twisted or pointless the political system may seem, I refuse to give up the right that gives me power as a citizen of the United States.
After all, change can’t happen without being active in our country, so I beg of us all, as new voters in the United States, not to give up on our future, and instead fight for it through one
of the most powerful tools we have.
