Voting is most important in a time of undesirable candidates
As the presidential election draws closer, some people must frantically decide what candidate to vote for, while others are simply deciding whether to vote at all.
We have all heard the phrase “your vote matters,” and while the political system in place makes it seem as though an individual vote is irrelevant, that redundant phrase is true. Each vote does matter.
There are those that challenge the idea of voting and how much one vote matters in the grand scheme of things. However, in democracy a single vote really does carry weight as part of the whole.
To many voters, this election cycle is essentially an unhinged rollercoaster of publicity stunts and dishonesty, so it is unsurprising that voters are at a crossroads. With two problematic candidates at the forefront of the current election, it is understandable that voters might not want to hit the ballot box whatsoever.
Even if this election season hadn’t so quickly become a circus, the way much of society currently feels about the system of the Electoral College has largely disrupted the urge to take action and vote.
It can seem discouraging to live in a state that only bears a small number of electoral votes, however it is important to see that the votes on the individual level can still make a difference.
Voters should think of casting their vote for president as not just picking one candidate, but picking an entire group of leaders and policies that will eventually be part of the presidency.
How effective the president can be in their position also depends on who they choose to have around and what steps to take when crucial decisions need to be made.
Over the past few election seasons and most certainly the current election, the idea of backing a third party or less conventional candidate has become more relevant.
With the shocking rise of Bernie Sanders and members of other lesser-known parties, the possibility of neither a Republican nor Democrat holding the presidential office seems closer than ever. Even though this election brought forth two main candidates that for many seem unsatisfactory, voters don’t have to fall back on the idea of voting for the lesser of two evils. While it is unlikely an unconventional candidate will win against either of the two current candidates, there is always someone else to support when voting.
For some voters, it is not the candidate they hit the polls for that is important, but the act of voting itself. If nothing else, people should engage in the act of voting because of the struggle that many faced to gain the right in the first place. Although it may not seem like it, the right for all U.S. citizens to vote wasn’t achieved all that long ago. Large portions of the population were denied the right to engage in politics and take action in the voting process. As citizens consider whether or not to vote under the undesirable circumstances of this election, it is crucial to realize that it is now more important than ever to engage in politics by voting.
Over the next few months, talk of politics will become more and more prevalent, and along with that talk come opinions. One way to guarantee the right to an opinion is by voting. Rather than complaining or not engaging at all, Americans can express their opinions in a way that truly matters and can influence change.
Hailey Stewart
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or on Twitter at Hailey_ann97