Few would argue that this has been one of the most divisive election years in recent memory. Many of us are simply tired. We want it all to stop. Campaign fatigue aside, today is the most important day in any election cycle. It is the day of reckoning and the day of responsibility. It is time to vote.
Many people complain about a lack of choice, saying they cannot cast their ballot for either of the two leading presidential candidates. Whether you share their feelings or not, choosing not to vote is not the answer. Here are a few reminders of why it is so important for each of us to exercise our right—and live up to our responsibility—to vote:
- There is more at stake than the presidency. The election isn’t just about the presidential election; many other local, state and national positions will be decided in this election, including the future makeup of the Supreme Court.
- Voting helps define how we will be governed. Higher turnout makes our democracy more representative of its citizens and ensures elected officials pay attention to our needs in the future.
- Voting sends a message. The margin of victory for any single candidate can be important in determining how much they can accomplish once they are in office.
- Voting is a hard-won freedom. Voting is a right that generations of Americans struggled to win―and people in other countries still fight to achieve.
Perhaps most importantly, to quote Abraham Lincoln, voting ensures “that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”
So, I urge you to vote today, because every vote truly does count.
