Your Vote Really Does Matter
You Should Cast Your Vote in November No Matter What, and Here’s Why
by Lauren Jordanich
In every discussion I’ve had with people my age regarding the election and voting, someone always says: “Well, it’s not like our votes really matter.”
If you’re guilty of this, I get it. It’s hard to feel like one single vote out of so many actually makes a difference. This is especially true when you are voting in a place that strongly leans one way or the other. Why vote when the outcome seems predetermined?
We often forget that exercising your right to vote is about more than just altering an election’s results. Vote because you can. Many people are unable to vote, whether that be due to where they live or threats of violence due to their gender. It is easy to take the right to vote for granted and it is important to strive to be more conscious of that.
Another thing to remember is that you’re not just voting for the president. There are many other important positions on the ballot. Candidates for governor, state representatives, and senators are also up for election. The more local an election, the more likely it can be swayed by a smaller number of votes, and the more directly the outcome will impact you.
If everyone had the “Why vote?” mindset, our country would not be a democracy. Not to sound too dramatic, but the United States as we know it could literally cease to exist.
Obviously, it is unrealistic to fear that no one will vote, but it is realistic to worry that less than half of eligible Americans will. About two-thirds of eligible voters participated in the 2020 election, which was an all-time high.
Hopefully, that upward trend will continue, but that can only happen if each and every one of us who are able to vote do so. Luckily, a college campus is a great place to be during an election. BU has a wide variety of resources on how to vote, whether it be in your home state or here in Massachusetts.
So, get registered and get to voting; I already know you want that “I Voted” sticker!
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