There’s nothing quite like a presidential election year to shake up the monotony of the political landscape. Being 16 years old, most people assume I have no stakes in politics. And they’d be correct for the most part. But in two short years, I’ll be able to vote and fulfill my civic duty; something that seems to have fallen to the wayside by some eligible voters these past few years.
As recently as March 19, Naperville’s District 203 held an e-learning day to facilitate voting in our community. Since voting took place at District 203 schools, students stayed at home for their own safety and for the ease of voters.
Despite accommodations made for voting in the primary, turnout this year was low, especially compared to other years. Considering that this is a presidential election year, something that typically drives higher voter turnout, the lack of participation in this year’s primary is particularly concerning.
We’ve gotten so used to hearing slogans that say “every vote matters” and “this is the most important election yet” that we’ve become desensitized to it. But even if you don’t think your vote matters in the presidential primary, there are still national, state, and county races where every vote really does matter.
Brave men and women have sacrificed for us to have the opportunity to vote. I suggest we take that opportunity with careful consideration.
In the past, you could only vote at your specific polling place. Now, you can vote at any authorized polling place. Not to mention the ease of early voting and mail-in voting, all of which means that voting has never been easier.
It’s too late to vote in the Illinois primary, but you can still vote in the general election on Tues., Nov. 5.
Happy voting!
