By Juliana Johnson

There are many things to look forward to regarding one’s 18th birthday; being a legal adult, owning a credit card, playing the lottery, and even getting married. While these abilities are exciting, there is one caveat of budding adulthood that fails to excite young Americans as much as it once did, the ability to vote.

The proportion of youth voters has been on a steady rise in the past decade, becoming a pivotal statistic in modern elections. Exemplified by the election of President Barack Obama’s first term in 2008, dubbed as, “The Year of the Youth Vote,” by Time magazine; more and more politicians have begun diverting their attention and campaign funds to appeal to the next batch of young voters.

But, with the 2024 election looming ahead, many young voters have seemed to lose the spark for political participation they once had, begging the question; “Does my vote really matter?”

In an era of political polarization and controversy, when the state of the country seems to shift on every news channel, it isn’t surprising that young people have begun to become unenthused with their government. According to Spectrum News, the projected number of young Americans planning to vote in the 2024 election is only 49 percent, eight points less than recorded before the 2020 election.

The reason for this sudden decrease in young voter turnout can be directly attributed to the youth’s dissatisfaction with their candidates, as well as their stances on prevalent social issues. These bleak prospects have left many to feel unrepresented and that needed political change will never come about; so they don’t turn out to vote.

But, is choosing not to vote really the best choice for you? For your future? The nation?

It’s easy to only equate your vote to the person you are electing, but in reality, you are voting for so much more. You are voting to fix the roads in your town and fill those nasty potholes. You are voting to fund local schools, the same ones where you learned to read and write. You are voting for social security to help your parents, neighbors, and everyone in your community. It is one thing to be dissatisfied with the candidates as humans or politicians, but you must remember that your vote is not only to support them but to support and change the things that matter most to you.

By living within a democratic society, with a majority who rules and a minority who doesn’t, you automatically give up your right to always be in full support of your governing body in the name of equality and fairness for all. Our position and political affiliations are constantly in motion, one day we are a part of the majority and the next we are a minority. That is the beauty of our nation; nothing is constant and no one is the same. However, the one thing that we do share is the fact that we all have the same sliver of a say and ability to speak up when we are dissatisfied.

Many argue that voting is useless and its vitality not applicable within the United States as we do not operate within a “true democracy,” but a representative democracy in which our leaders are not elected directly by the people, but by those tasked to our districts within the Electoral College.

In reality, what many Americans fail to realize is that their votes go directly toward selecting who makes up the Electoral College. On election day when you cast your ballot, your vote is not going directly towards a candidate, but towards selecting a representative who has vowed to vote for that candidate. While this is still an indirect way of voting for presidential candidates, it is still a vital step in the democratic process of which Americans must understand the importance.

In an era of global conflict and political unrest, young people are angrier than ever regarding issues of police brutality, foreign affairs, and the state of our economy. While all of these opinions hold immense value and importance, they will remain valueless if those who participate in these social movements do not legitimize, and show their commitment to democracy by casting their ballots. Protest is vital, and a secured right of the American people by our constitution; but for as much as we wish to show our resistance to the way things are, our demands will become meaningless if we as a generation don’t play our part in the democratic process and show our commitment to a better future for us all.

In a nation that seemingly becomes more politically polarized by the day, there is one agreement all Americans must come to across party and generational lines; the upcoming 2024 election really, really matters. To some, it will determine either the death or survival of our democracy, which to others is a principle we’ve already abandoned long ago. But no matter what stakes you believe this November holds, no matter how little you feel it might affect your life, it is your responsibility as an American citizen to go out and cast your vote.