By Kelsey Corley, Student Editor of The Kayseean
We are facing quite possibly the most critical election of our young lives. Millennials and voting age Gen Z make up 37% of all eligible voters, but the turnout of young voters has been steadily decreasing in the past few decades. In the 2018 midterms, only 30% of voters in this age range voted.
In recent elections, younger people have consistently been outnumbered and outvoted by older generations, specifically seniors. Many experts believe this is because seniors not only have more time on their hands but also have a greater dependence on government programs such as social security and Medicare.
The dependence of any individual on government, however, cannot be underestimated. The current pandemic has made this abundantly clear. We are all dependent on our “leaders” to set proper safety protocols, to provide economic assistance when necessary shutdowns force people out of work. We are all dependent on the adequate regulation of corporations to not take advantage of their workforce in a time of a global crisis. We are dependent on proper regulation to protect the air we breathe and the water we drink, to protect our forests from burning to the ground and our homes from being swept away into the rising sea.
We should not dismiss the actions of individuals or organizations to ensure the safety and proper function of these aspects of our lives. Still, they are nothing compared to the organized and targeted policy.
On November 3rd, remember, you are not just voting for an individual; you are voting for the administration they will establish, for the figures they will put into positions of power. You are voting for who you believe will best represent our country in the global community. You are voting for the administration who will not only represent you but all of your fellow Americans equally.
The presidency is a job in which the most basic function is to uphold our Constitution and our democracy. After everything 2020 has brought, it may be tempting to resolve that everything is awful, and nothing matters. This belief is wrong, everything is awful, and it matters like never before!
This November, you have a decision to make. It’s your future, have a say in it!
For more information, or to find your local polling place, visit https://www.vote.org/ or https://www.usa.gov/voting.
