Voting gives voices to the voiceless. However, this hasn’t always been the case. Throughout our democracy, voting has been restricted for marginalized groups. For example women were only given the right in 1920. But even with various voting barriers lifted, many Americans today choose not to exercise this right.
According to the US Elections Project, in 2020, roughly 33% of eligible voters did not vote in the presidential election. Even though this was the highest turnout since 1900, it pales in comparison to other countries. For example, Uruguay, Turkey, Peru, Indonesia, Philippines, Argentina and Sweden, which have rates of over 80%, according to Pew Research Center.
Important platform issues such as the economy, climate change, abortion rights, immigration and gun control can all be impacted by your vote in both federal and statewide elections. In California, some notable propositions include Proposition 32, which allows an increase in the minimum wage and Proposition 3, which reaffirms the right for same-sex couples to marry.
From 2010-2022 the average turnout rate of eligible voters in primaries was an astonishingly low rate of 18.45%, according to the Bipartisan Policy Center. This exemplifies a common belief among some eligible voters that their vote is insignificant, however individual voters can have an immense impact on the outcome of an election. This year, three of the candidates who ran for the U.S. House of Representatives for District 16 (which includes Palo Alto) were going to advance to the November runoff because of a tie. Joe Simitian and Evan Low tied for second at exactly 30,249 votes each. A recount resulted in Low winning with just a five-vote margin over Simitian. This shows that each and every vote does matter.
In California, there are two methods of voting: mail-in ballots and voting in person. To become a registered voter in California you can visit registertovote.ca.gov and fill out the required information. You may also pre-register to vote in future elections if you are 16 or 17. All active California registered voters will receive a mail-in ballot for the November election, or you can also visit voting centers in person, which will be opening on Oct. 26.
If you are 18 years old and a U.S. citizen, you are able to influence one of the most powerful nations in the world by casting your vote. We believe that voting is a civic duty that every citizen should exercise.