Voting Amplifies Voice

Ariel Boehnlein
For You Editor, Fused

As students come of age, they are opened up to a whole new world of opportunities, including being able to vote. In a Democracy, the citizens pick the government an being able to have your own voice when it comes to the election is one of America's many given freedoms. With their vote, voters are able to participate in the civic process. However, if able people don’t register and thereby don’t vote, they’re throwing away their voices, and thus have no right to complain about anything going on within their government.

One of my dearest friends has just recently informed me that she didn’t register to vote, even though she turned 18 in June. I couldn’t help but scold her a bit. I told her that when she votes, whether the outcome of the election is what she voted for or not, she is becoming involved. With her vote, she can say that at least she tried to get the results to turn out a different way.

Jessica Alba is this year’s advocate of young adults registering and going to the polls with her different Declare Yourself videos. In a skit with Hayden Panettiere from Heroes, Alba was a shopping network hostess selling various muzzles. According to the ladies, by not voting, citizens are silencing themselves to the point where it’s almost as if they’re wearing muzzles.

Young adults need to become involved in the election process. It’s what runs a democracy. By becoming knowledged on the candidates’ stances, voters can come to their own conclusions. And if the results end up being the opposite of what they wanted, at least they can say, “Well I didn’t vote for him.”