Why Voting is Important
In America, the most important right we have is to vote. Yet millions of Americans abdicate this right every election.
In America, the percentage of the voting age population that votes is dismal. In 2016, during a presidential election, only 59.7% of eligible voters actually voted. Over 40% of Americans didn’t vote. Those people had no say in who was in the White House or who represented them in Congress. I’m convinced, if our voter participation rate was closer to 70%, we’d have a President Clinton instead of a President Trump. I also think we’d have a Democrat controlled Senate.
In 2014, during the midterms, only 36.4% of eligible voters voted. That year, over 60% of people choose not to have a say in who represented them in Congress. I’m convinced if we had a voter participation rate of at least 50%, we’d of had a Democrat controlled Senate.
These numbers are terrible. If we want to create a blue wave like I think we can, we need to get everyone to the polls who is eligible. This may be the most important midterm election of our lives.
At stake this year is only all 435 seats in the House. Only 35 seats in the Senate are at stake. Only 39 governorships and thousands of seats in state legislatures are at stake. Not to mention all the attorney generals and Secretary of States that we can vote on.
Voting is super important to allowing the blue wave to actually happen. How can you help?
The most important thing is to make sure all your friends are registered. If they’re not registered, they can’t vote. I’ve been tweeting a link to register almost every day for a month. I’ve also been texting all of my friends to make sure they’ve taken care of it.
The second most important thing is to make sure they go and vote. A few days before hand, start by helping them make a plan. Research shows that if you have a plan to vote, your more likely to follow through. Then the day of, follow up and make sure they have voted. Or you can offer to drive them and all your friends to the polls.
I asked some friends and candidates why they thought voting was important, here’s what they said:
“Voting is important because you are making your voice heard.” — Emily Paul
“It’s critical for every individual to have access to voting and participate in our democratic process in order to make their voices heard by community leaders.” — Kathy Hoffman, candidate for Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction
“We are the future generation. New ideals and beliefs are becoming more prevalent and ultimately we are the deciding factor to the fate of our country — if we don’t vote our voices won’t be heard.” Dani Gibala
Visit www.winwithjacobsumner.com for more from Jacob Sumner.