Did you know that nearly 40% of eligible Americans didn’t vote in the 2024 election?
Believe it or not, voter turnout is not as high as you might think. Many Americans fail to cast their ballot because it seems too complicated and overwhelming. However, there is no reason to feel intimidated as you can register to vote in only a few simple steps.
To register to vote, go to the New York State official voting website or your local county’s board of election office, and fill out the registration form. You do not need to be 18 to register, 16 and 17 year olds can pre-register to vote through the same process. Students can also use the CollegeBoard website to pre-register.
Voting is an important part of democracy because it allows citizens to share their voice and have a say in the government.
“I think voting is one of the most important things we can do as Citizens of the United States. I think voting is our direct way as citizens to make change within the government”, Senior Evie Ruggiero said. “If we like something or someone, we can vote for it, if we don’t, then we can vote against it! It’s our civic duty!!”
This statement is supported by the constitution as it is implemented in the United States Bill of Rights under the First Amendment; freedom to petition the government for a redress of grievances. In other words, the people of the United States have the inalienable right to control the government that inevitably controls them.
“…if I do not use my voice (vote) to try and make the world a world that I want to live in then I am not truly free… I am a slave to someone else’s vision of what the world I live in should be”, history teacher Gregory Jaros said.
On the other hand, voting can seem daunting and it might seem easier to avoid it all together. Many people choose not to vote for a variety of reasons, one of those reasons being if none of the candidates match their views. These people often register as independents and make up a record high of 45% of registered voters. Also, those who register to vote as independents are unable to vote in primaries since they are not affiliated with a specific party.
A lot of Americans decide not to vote since they feel that their vote wouldn’t matter or that voting isn’t worth it. As common as this opinion is, this is not true. Even big elections can come down to remarkably small numbers during the final count, like the 2024 presidential election. Out of the 174 million people that voted in 2024, the difference between Democratic candidate Kamala Harris and Republican candidate Donald Trump was less than 2.3 million votes.
