By Dasia Greer
Voting is both a privilege and a duty that every eligible citizen in this country should feel a responsibility to exercise. This responsibility is not only because of the thousands of individuals who diligently fought and lost their lives for all Americans to attain this fundamental right, but because voters play a vital role in the shaping of our nation. Voting allows Americans to effectively voice their opinions and to be heard by their government and fellow citizens.
One of the many excuses I’ve heard from individuals who don’t vote is that they feel their voting isn’t impactful and won’t make a difference in an election—a statement that couldn’t be farther from the truth. Every single vote counts, and the number of Americans hitting the ballot boxes each election cycle is vital to upholding and cultivating the democracy of this nation. No citizen should ever feel that their voice does not matter, or that their opinion is not important.
We must all combat this detrimental ideology by voting, encouraging others to vote, and by simply letting those around us know that their opinions matter and that voting is one of the most powerful means of having their voice heard.