The Importance of Voting
October 18, 2024
In the 2024 presidential race, very few Americans have yet to make up their minds about whether they like or dislike the candidate. With tight races in the battleground states, this race might very well come down to turnout. Voting is a fundamental, hard-fought right Americans enjoy today. Historically, the democratic process has proven to be far from the rule and more like the exception. For those Americans who have never known a government without the consent of the governed, it can be easy to take the right to vote for granted, but that is wrong.
One vote has certainly made a difference in the past. Joseph Geha of San José Spotlight reports of Murali Srinivasan, who won a city council race after a one-vote lead against opponent Justin Wang turned into a tie that had to be broken by the city clerk. Had Wang received just one more vote, he would have become the councilman instead. Even with larger races, like for president in the 2024 cycle, every vote is going to be crucial for both the Harris and Trump campaigns in the swing states.
Besides, voting matters, even outside the swing states. Regardless of who wins the Electoral College, the popular vote sends a message. When tens of millions of Americans cast a ballot in support of a candidate, they affirm a resolve that the American people support the democratic process. Protecting and furthering the democratic process is the responsibility of every American. When Americans vote, they fulfill a civic duty many Americans gave their lives to protect. Of course, if a voter gets hung up on the outcome, especially if they live in a state that is reliably red or blue, they will feel they have no reason to vote, but that ignores the importance of affirming the democratic process and their duty to it as citizens.
Too many countries do not give their citizens a voice in government. Americans have that right, and they have a duty to exercise it. Regardless of what one believes, one should take advantage of their ability to vote one’s conscience. Be it for the President, Congress, or even a local city council race, votes matter, and citizens should always put in the time to take part in the democratic process. The United States of America is the most powerful country in the world, and every voting-eligible American has the opportunity to take part in shaping its government on November 5th. They should do it.