College students experience many firsts during the average four years of enrollment. For the majority of students, one of these firsts includes being able to vote for the first time.
According to a 2015 CNBC report, only 38 percent of voters 18-24 years old voted in the 2012 presidential election, the smallest number of voters from any age demographic. The number of young adults voting in presidential elections has been consistently decreasing since 1962, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
I’ve observed a very lax attitude towards voting from my fellow millennials.
“My vote doesn’t really count,” or “I’m not into politics,” are not sufficient reasons for not voting. In fact, these statements are not reasons at all; they are excuses.
I can see the future Netflix documentary title now: “Generation Y: The Generation That Didn’t Care.”
The truth is, our vote does count.
As Americans, we have certain rights. You probably didn’t even have to think back to your American Government 101 class to remember that. It’s a known fact, something that gets taken for granted too often.
Voting is one of these rights. If we don’t use our rights, they will become endangered. The only way our vote cannot count is if we do not vote.
As college students, we know about upcoming issues that we’re going to face as we enter the workforce. We learn about them every day, and most of us would admit we have an opinion. So why not express that opinion at the polls? As voters, we can select someone that shares our values and opinions on issues we see needing attention.
College students specifically need to be present at the polls because we will be more affected by actions taken by America’s next president than any other demographic. Topics such as health care, wages and taxes may not be of much interest to us now, but they will be a huge part of our lives in the near future.
As if the security of our future isn’t enough reason to vote, here’s some food for thought: If you don’t vote, you can’t complain when the candidate you do not support is elected.
Not to sound too much like Forrest Gump here, but my momma always reminds me, “Only you can prevent forest fires.” I’ve rolled my eyes too many times in response, but I see the accuracy in her words of wisdom.
If election night goes awry in your eyes, you can tweet or post your disappointment to your heart’s content, but if you did not vote, can you do the same knowing you had a chance to express your hopes for America? I’ll leave that up to you and your conscience.
The bottom line is this: we have a chance to make a difference. I don’t consider myself to be a political analyst or the bold personality type. However, I do know the values that are important to me as an American, and I want to do all I can to protect them. That is why I will be voting for the first time this year on Election Day. I hope other college students who are able to vote for the first time across America will join me.
