At America’s inception it was declared that all men are created equal. Based on that statement it could be assumed that all people are given an equal voice in the American democracy, but as with most assumptions, the above is incorrect. 

Women were not granted the right to vote until 1920 and African Americans, despite technically getting the vote in 1870, were further denied that right through poll taxes and grandfather laws. They were not truly granted the vote until the Voting Rights Act of 1965. 

Taking all of this history into consideration, I am left with one question: Why do Gen Z and Millenials think it’s ok to pass up on voting? 

We as Americans love to complain. Free speech is the one right we’re really good at using. But why don’t we move past talking about America’s problems and act against them? Climate change, police brutality, student loan debt, credit card debt, a broken justice system and a misogynist president are all issues the younger generations can generally agree upon. Sadly, for the most part our anger fails to propel us to the polls. 

Admittedly, we have actually improved recently. According to the Pew Research Center Gen X, Millenials, and Gen Z all put together managed to narrowly scrape out a majority in terms of votes when compared to the Baby Boomers and older generations in the 2018 midterms. However this was considered a “modern high” meaning, this is not the norm. Typically younger generations vote much less than their older counterparts. To me, it seems most likely that older generations remember the fight their age mates and parents uderwent to obtain the vote and therefore don’t squander it the way younger people do. 

However, this can become problematic for younger folks. By not voting every time at every election we are letting previous generations make (but mostly break) our future for us. We are allowing them to create a more polarized political climate, destroy our planet, ruin our education system and reject asylum seekers as though this country was not founded by immigrants and refugees fleeing persecution. 

Frequently given excuses for not voting include: I don’t want to vote. I don’t have time. It doesn’t actually matter if I vote or not. My vote won’t make a difference, I’m already part of the majority in my state. 

I believe each and every one of these reasons to be invalid. Voting is not only a right, it is a responsibility, a duty every person should complete for their own benefit and for that of their fellow citizens. Every single vote has value. If everyone believed their vote didn’t matter and only a few people went to the polls, then those votes would hold the power. If you are a member of the majority party in your state, still vote in the general election, but maybe focus on local elections more to change day to day aspects of life. Every vote has the power to make a difference, it must simply be put to good use.

I here take this moment to beg everyone turning 18 before November 2020, please register to vote, do your research and then vote in the primaries, general election and every election after that, local or national, regardless of your political affiliation. That way, whatever future awaits us, we know we chose it.