This year, the general election is on November 5. All 100 seats are up for grabs in the House of Representatives, and 40 seats are up in the Senate. The general election is important for several reasons, the most important being that Congress is the final decision factor on literally everything the president proposes. Yes, veto power is a thing, but Congress has more of an influence on our daily lives than we realize. Now, let’s get into some reasons why you need to vote in the general election.
- We Have the Power to Make Change
-
Matters like gun violence, gender rights, the right to choose and climate change are issues being talked about in the news more than ever today. The general election is where we can truly make our voices heard by electing candidates that will have the power to make some change. We have the chance to change things for future generations and make it a better world to live in. If you don’t vote on the issues that matter to you, who will?
- Voting is a ResponsibilityÂ
-
As U.S citizens, it is our duty as well as our responsibility to vote. Voting is also an enormous privilege that suffragists fought for us to have today. We have the privilege of living in a democracy and that should not be taken lightly; it is truly a blessing to be able to choose our own representatives. Many immigrants come to our country because they can have a say on who sits in Congress and who leads our country. If we do not participate in the election process, our democracy would slowly slip away.Â
- We Need to be HeardÂ
-
The people who go out to polls and vote are the people who decide elections. Take some time to research the candidates and where they stand on issues that matter to you to make a more informed decision. You can find the full list of candidates running for House and Senate in each district right here! You might not believe your voice or your one vote matters, but believe me when I say that your one vote has more of an impact than you think.
- It’s Your Money Â
-
Everyone pays taxes, but can you honestly say with 100% confidence that you know where that money goes? Most people can’t. This is an issue because it’s your hard-earned money and you don’t know where it’s going. Voting is a chance for you to choose how your tax dollars are spent – such as funding for healthcare and social services or other issues.
As college students, many of us think that our vote won’t matter, but can you just imagine the amount of change we can all make if every one of us goes out to vote in this election? Personally, I have not changed my polling location to Richmond, but filing for an absentee ballot is an easy process that only takes about 10 minutes of your time. Make sure to file for an absentee ballot before October 15 to vote in the general election! I’ll be voting in this upcoming election, will you?