Why Voting Is Important

Voting is an important right that we as American citizens are granted. This right gives people the power to create change in the world by choosing who represents them in the government. Every election and position is important because they will be the people who make decisions that impact lives. Voting is the civic duty of an American citizen.
The right to vote is granted to those over the age of 18. Although there are throughout the years, many elections, voting is not a right that was always available to everyone. In the the 1800’s and early 1900’s, the only people allowed to vote were landowning white men. Women, black men and any other ethnicity were not granted the right to vote. This changed in 1869, when the 15th amendment was passed, allowing black men to vote and in 1920, when the 19th amendment was passed, women were granted the right to vote.
Some might say that a single vote will not matter, but that is not the case. In the 2000 presidential election, George W. Bush won by such a small margin that they had to recount votes in the state of Florida. Bush won the election with only 537 votes more than Gore.
Even though a single vote doesn’t count directly towards the candidate in a presidential election, it does matter because other people voted for that person and those votes add up for the state’s electoral college. In smaller and more local elections, every vote is counted directly, making it that much more important to vote for the candidate that you believe will help create a positive change.
If you are under 18, there are still many ways you can make your voice heard. The next primary election is on Tuesday, May 7, 2024. This can be a time to volunteer, research and talk to people. No matter who or what you believe in, the right to vote is something that was earned and fought for and it is a right that everyone should exercise.