by Katie Carns
When it comes to political races and presidential debates, young adults (ages 18-29) are utterly uninterested.
Yet, they number 46 million and comprise 24 percent of the total population of eligible voters, according to civicyouth.org. In the 2008 presidential election, only 19 percent of eligible young voters actually cast a ballot.
Young adults know that the president runs the country, but many of them do not care which individual is making all those dull, complicated decisions.
This is reason number one why 18-year-old students at our school should care enough to vote: school lunches. Cafeteria food has declined in quality. Just about everyone I come in contact with on campus complains about cardboard fries and meatless Mondays. Although Michele Obama’s healthy lunch initiative is well intentioned, it doesn’t seem to be working out for Varinians.
If students wonder why their gas tanks and their wallets are always empty, the answer is a second reason to vote. Constantly rising gas prices are a direct result of politics in the Middle East and a failure to drill our own oil.
Those of us lucky enough to hold down one of the few available jobs may notice that a big hunk of our paycheck isn’t going into our bank account. Welcome to the wonderful world of taxes my friends.
Of course, many young people don’t have a job, and it’s not for a lack of trying. That’s because now-hiring signs are seen less frequently than Big Foot. At the end of March, only a quarter of young adults ages 16-19 could find jobs.
On a daily basis, we deal with all of these problems resulting from decisions made in Washington.
So politics affect us more than we thought. No one wants high gas prices or high taxes. Then why don’t we have a say in this?
The answer is we do. We are the future of America. It’s about time we exercise our right to vote, and help restore the country we live in.
No matter how old you are, even if you are just one person, you can make a difference. You all have the opportunity to change the future, along with the responsibility to do so.
The first step is to stay informed. It’s not necessary to watch CNN all night, every night. But before you make a decision about who you vote for, do your research. The Pulitzer Prize winning website Politifact.com, which is run by the “Tampa Bay Times,” is a reliable, unbiased, website where you can learn the facts about the candidates and issues.
If you aren’t 18 and registered to vote, pressure your parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and older siblings to voice their opinion. Active citizen participation in voting for elected officials is the only way to get what they need out of the government.
No matter how old you are, spread the word. Let your friends and families know the candidate of your choice and the issues you find important. Become an active participant in the election by volunteering at the polls on Election Day. Use political bumper stickers and shirts to bring awareness to others about the importance of voting.
Don’t become discouraged if the person you vote for doesn’t win, or if the elected official doesn’t come through with campaign promises. In order for our democracy to be completely democratic, all citizens should participate in elections.
I have been looking forward to the day that I turn 18 so that I could vote for as long as I can remember. Unfortunately, I won’t be able to vote in November because I won’t be 18 before the cut-off date. So those of you who are eligible to vote, please vote for me.
Mark Nov. 6 on your calendar because it might be the day that changes America and your life forever.
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