We are in yet another election season. It is the culmination of two years of hotly-contested debate from both sides of the political spectrum here in the United States over a variety of issues. For those on the political right, this election season presents a chance to impose a referendum on Democrat President Joe Biden, a Democrat-controlled Senate and a Democrat-controlled House of Representatives, allowing conservatives to regain their political momentum in advance for what could be another slugfest of a presidential election in 2024. For those on the political left, this election season presents a chance to prevent all of that from happening, while setting the stage for President Biden’s agenda to advance with as little resistance from their political opposition as possible.
Every individual who enters the ballot box has a set of goals in mind, depending on their political views and ideology. We’re all motivated by the issues that matter the most to us, and we should use our own motivations to ensure we make that trip to a local polling place, stand in line for however long is necessary and make sure that, by the time we leave, we leave our mark in the form of a completed ballot with our names on it in the box. That should be a goal that unites us all, despite our ideological differences. As participating members of this country, we must all make it a mission to not ignore the most important political event of the next two years.
In the 2020 election, while an estimated half of young people ages 18-29 voted, Arkansas posted the third lowest voter turnout rate (35%) in this age range, according to CIRCLE. In the 2018 midterms, Arkansas had the lowest voter turnout rate (15.5%) among young people, of the 42 states for which data is available. Simply put, this is not acceptable. The youth of America are the ones who will live in the world elected officials create the longest. The decisions made by those we elect, as a collective, will be felt by our generation for, potentially, decades to come. When you sit out of the voting process, you send a message of complacency towards those who dictate this country’s future in ways that extend beyond the lifetimes of many of those currently in office. Again, this is simply not acceptable, especially when there is so much that will be determined in this election alone.
Therefore, regardless of where you stand on the vast array of issues that are at the forefront of this election, make it a priority to get involved. Take the time to find a polling place near, and, regardless of your location, make sure you are knowledgeable of your state’s voter ID requirements, as well as the candidates and issues that will appear on your ballot. With the level of importance that each election holds, you cannot sit allow yourself to sit things out. Make sure you make your voice heard at the ballot box.
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