The Rite of Passage should be your first vote, not your first legal sip of beer
By Noor Memarzadeh, Staff Writer
Young people are the future of the United States and it is their responsibility to voice their views and opinions in order to shape their future. However, only around a third of 18-29 year olds who are eligible to vote have traditionally voted, even though they take up a considerable proportion of the voting population. Considering that they play such a significant role in society and that the decisions of today will affect their futures, it is crucial that young eligible voters cast their ballots.
In many previous elections young voters didn't take advantage of their right to vote and were outnumbered and outvoted by older voters. According to data provided by Census Bureau of the 2016 election turnout, “citizens 65 years and older reported higher turnout (70.9 percent) than 45- to 64-year-olds (66.6 percent), 30- to 44-year-olds (58.7 percent) and 18- to 29-year-olds (46.1 percent)”. As shown by the data, 18-29 year old voters had the lowest turnout. Although there is no scientific reason as to why young people don't vote as much, many argue that it is more related to the process and methods that are available to voters and the amount of time it takes for them to inform themselves to be able to cast their vote. According to theconversation.com, in the 2016 election, “a full three out of four of Americans between the age of 18 and 29 said they were interested in politics.” This means that the lack of votes is not related to the younger people's interest in politics, rather it is most likely about the tasks that come with it.
Nonetheless, this upcoming election needs to end the trend of young voters not contributing to elections. Issues like climate change, whose effects have not been felt to the full extent, but are predicted to grow worse and soon become irreversible will affect young people and their future more than any other age group. If young, eligible voters choose not to use their votes, it will allow older generations to dictate how their lives and world are going to look like in the future. Samo senior Ezra Krieger (‘21) explained the importance of making full use of one's vote in a democracy.
“I think being in a democracy is sharing and voting for your own opinions. I am honored to vote because at least for me it means that I can actually be a part, even if it is not a big part of how our government is run and who runs it,” Krieger said.
Furthermore, high school students who are eligible to vote can also use their privilege not only for themselves but also for their peers who are still too young. By casting their vote, they can take full advantage of their rights, while at the same time acting as a voice for those who are still ineligible to vote.
The voting process is daunting. The responsibilities of having and sharing an opinion may seem immense, and the registration and casting of the vote may be complicated. Yet, the potential consequences of refraining to vote, thereby allowing older generations to rob the younger ones of a future that belongs to them, are too vast to justify standing idle. Samo students and young people across the US who are able to make this decision to shape their future as well as the future of generations to come need to realize this latent power they hold, vote and become active participants in society.
