Teen Essay: Why people should exercise their right to vote

Are you ever unhappy with the way the world is going? Many people complain but do not do anything to change it. In the United States of America, as a citizen over the age of 18 you have the right to vote. Voting means you have a say in who represents you in government and whether certain initiatives are passed. You can vote in both local and national elections. Not everyone participates, however, even though all citizens should exercise their right to vote and be heard.

There are many people who choose not to vote and for many different reasons. The voter turnout in the 2014 midterms in the U.S. was the lowest it has been in any election cycle since World War II, with only 36.4 percent of the voting-eligible population casting ballots. Some of the different reasons for not voting include people thinking their vote won’t count, they’re too busy, the voting lines can be hours long, registration requirements can be confusing, voters can be apathetic, people don’t like the candidates, or they cannot get to the polls. In some countries, there is voter intimidation..

It is the right, privilege and duty to vote as a citizen of your country and a member of your community. People might think their vote does not matter, but votes can shape foreign, economic and social policies.

In the U.S. presidential election of 2000, only 54.2 percent of eligible voters cast their ballot. The result was almost a tie. George W. Bush received 47.9 percent (50,456,002) of the votes. Al Gore received 48.4 percent (50,999,897). Only 543,895 votes separated the two candidates. If 100 percent of the eligible voters participated in the election, the result would probably have been a lot more clear. Even though Gore won the popular vote, because of the electoral system, Bush became president. In this instance, every vote counted.

People have fought long and hard for the opportunity to vote, even losing their lives. Emily Davison threw herself under one of King George V’s horses at the races at Epsom, England, in a demonstration that women should have the right to vote. She died four days later.

In 13 percent of the world’s countries, voting is deemed so important a civic responsibility that it has been made compulsory.

Every citizen should exercise their right to cast a vote in an election. People have died to establish this right to be heard, to have a say in social, political and economic matters and to leave the best administration for future generations. People who do not vote but complain about how the government is run are hypocrites. You have to earn your right to complain.