As Election Day approaches, you have most likely seen millions of advertisements telling you to vote or have had hundreds of peers egg you on about voting. If you’re anything like me, you’ve probably thought, “What does it matter if I don’t vote – who cares?” or “My vote doesn’t really matter.”

We don’t directly vote for our president – the electoral college does. The popular vote doesn’t matter. We can say we like candidate A, but still end up with candidate B. We could not like either candidates, but can’t do anything about it. But this all goes back to voting in the first place.

If you had voted in the primary election, then you would have gotten a candidate more suitable for you. If you had taken action and voted for representatives who would listen to you, you would have probably gotten the candidate you wanted.

To be an active voter means to take part in all elections, not only the presidential election. If you wish to change your community for the better, to improve not only your life but the lives of others, or advocate for a cause you strongly believe in, then voting is the way to go. With the midterm election only days away, it is important you take action now. If you don’t speak out and voice your concerns or vote on what matters to you, then you can’t complain.

Closed mouths don’t get fed.

On the other hand, there are people that actually can’t open their mouths for many reasons. One might be because they’re not documented or not a citizen.

But that just confuses me. I have been on this Earth, in America, for 18 years. Some of my friends and family have been here longer than I have. But just because I was born here and they weren’t, I get the right to have a say in these factors that will affect their lives, but they don’t. Why?

There are hundreds of millions of people living in America and a huge part of them are immigrants, are not documented or are not even old enough to vote yet. So I vote for them.

I vote for my grandparents, my parents, aunts, uncles, brothers, sisters, friends, neighbors – I vote for the voiceless.

When you’re thinking about whether or not you should vote, think about someone you may know who probably can’t. Think about the many individuals that can’t have a say. Vote and vote for them. You’re not only speaking for yourself, but for millions of people who can’t.

As Americans, it is our duty to vote. We can’t let just anyone decide our faith. No one knows you or knows what you want better than you, so you need to take action and voice them.

Angel Vargas (she/her/hers)

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