With U.S midterm elections coming up on Nov. 6, it's important to be educated on voting rights. Many people don't vote in midterm elections or elections that aren't related to the presidential elections.
According to FairVote, only around 40 percent of eligible voters end up voting in primaries, where as around 60 percent of people vote in the presidential elections. Turnout at the polls have surged in primary elections held across 31 states, which means there will hopefully be a much larger percentage of voters in this midterm election.
Turnout is also lower for odd year, primary and local elections, according to FairVote.
People don't feel like it's necessary to vote in these types of elections, since they think that it does not have the same reach effect as national elections.
However, that's most certainly not the case this time around.
Many people believe the elections won't affect them or they don't care enough to take time out of their day to vote. Some people also don't understand the topics politicians take sides on, so they don't know where the candidates stand on those issues. According to Vanity Fair, 0.057 percent of total voters cost Hillary Clinton the presidency in the 2016 presidential election.
While the 46,435 votes that Hillary lost by may seem like a large number, if every one of those people who did not cast a vote, did cast a vote, the election would have taken a much different turn. If every one of those people had decided to go out and vote, it would have made an enormous difference.
We all have issues that we care passionately about, even if we don't outwardly advocate for that particular idea. Chances are, an idea that you feel strongly about will be up for debate sometime during this midterm election. Right now, Republicans hold the house majority, but the Democrats are working hard to try to reverse that this fall.
Former President Barack Obama said in a recent speech, “We can flip the balance of power back to the American people. Because you are the only check on bad policy, you are the only real check on abuses of power. It’s you and your vote” (TIME).
Many issues that are controversial today, will be on the line during the midterms. Who you vote for in the midterms will directly affect the decisions that are made afterwards. Casting a ballot is essentially making history in the best way possible, because you have complete control over it.
Farmville is in the 5th District of Virginia, and there are two candidates running for House of Representatives this Fall. Denver Riggleman, is running for the Republican party, while candidate Leslie Cockburn is running for the Democratic party. Students and adults around the county have been canvassing and phone banking for the candidates that they support, and are volunteering to help out at the polls on Election Day.
Different political groups and political clubs have been working hard to remind people to register to vote and to become educated on where their elected officials stand on issues they care about. It's easy to find out what your future senators and representatives are supporting, within just a few minutes of googling. Registering to vote is very important, but it's still even more important to actually go out and vote in November.
Young people especially have the potential to influence elections, particularly in battleground states, since millennials are growing to be as large as the baby boomer population, but it really depends on if they show up on election day. It only takes a few minutes, but it will make all the difference.
You can't complain if you don't vote.