40.8 million members of Gen Z are currently eligible to vote during this current election season, according to Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning and Engagement’s “Young Voters” report. Their potential participation in one of the most significant presidential elections in recent American history can shape the foundation of the country moving forward.
Despite their active political participation compared to that of older generations, there are still many young people across the country that have become disillusioned with the idea of voting. They believe that their vote simply doesn’t count for much, that it doesn’t really matter. But that’s simply not true. Voting does matter, it’s integral to the core of American democracy, a right that can’t be taken away.
Voting is one of the most important civic duties for a citizen within a participatory democracy. It grants them the ability to be a citizen that is actively engaged and can allow them to have a voice within their society. Citizens are able to have some influence over the way that governments can create and shape policies through the officials that they vote in and remove from office.
Voting is also not just a duty that a citizen must abide to, but most importantly, it is a fundamental right that is able to spur equality between citizens. Within the youth of our country, voting had originally been reserved for the certain few, while the disenfranchised were forced to be ignored and disregarded. It was only until these people had finally sacrificed so much of their heart and soul that they were finally able to have the opportunity to have a voice within their own country. Despite the fact that every American has the right to vote today, there are still many attacks on vote equity, such as gerrymandering, voting restrictions, and misinformation. Voting is a struggle that still must be fought for by nearly every American citizen.
Some of the youngest generations are able to grant the country with more diversity and inclusivity, within the election process. Younger voters have the most potential out of nearly every other voting demographic to influence government decisions and policies, which can lay the foundation down for both their, and the country’s future. More so, these younger voters are able to more fully represent a wide diversity of voices, as nearly 45% of Gen Z adults that are able to vote in the current presidential election are people of color. This ensures much more inclusivity within the majority of our country’s policies.
Voting is the most essential part within American society, as it is the conscience of a participatory democracy. It is a great equalizer, upon which every citizen has the ability to make their voice heard through their active participation. Despite what this generation has been led to believe, one vote still does matter, as it can change the tide of an entire election. Most importantly, the youth voice, our voice, matters the most. We must be able to use the many freedoms and privileges that we have been given within this to be engaged, to change something, to do something, no matter how significant it really is. After all, your vote is your voice.
