By Lucy Bowman
“My vote doesn’t matter.” According to data collected from a 2020 Ipsos survey of non-voters in America, 50% of people who choose not to vote do so because they believe that they cannot make a difference in national elections. This belief is especially prevalent among young voters, who have not yet gotten into the habit of voting in every election. It’s easy to feel as if our votes are not significant, especially if our political beliefs don’t align with the majority of voters in our state. Why vote red in a blue state, or blue in a red state, when it might not impact the electoral college? But, when it comes to elections, especially ones where the results are incredibly close, every vote counts.
According to Julia Kuttler, a communication professor at McPherson College, civic engagement is incredibly important on college campuses. Kuttler started helping with voter registration booths at McPherson College in the Fall of 2018. Every fall, McPherson College hosts a voter registration drive where students can register to vote, check and update their registration, and create a plan for voting in the upcoming election. For Kuttler, this volunteer time is personal. When she was in college, she wasn’t involved in the political process on her campus. Kuttler states, “My goal in starting the voter registration drive here was to encourage our students to get involved, even if it’s only once every four years, and recognizing that every election is important, and that they should be registered, and they should be doing their civil duty.”
Today, that civic duty can feel like a burden. But, historically, voting has been viewed as a privilege mainly because it was only allowed for certain groups. According to a National Geographic article titled “Why Voting Is Important,” voting was an incredibly exclusive process until the twentieth century when women were given the right to vote in 1920 and black voters’ rights were expanded in the 1960s. Imagine your great-great grandmother, who was likely unable to vote for at least part of her life. How proud would she be to learn that you have the ability to influence the political process using a right that she was never allowed? Even today, voting is not as accessible as one might assume. That’s why Kuttler encourages students at McPherson College to take advantage of this right. She explains, “it’s important to stand up for those who can’t vote but want to, such as people you know who are under the age of eighteen. Vote for the future of your kids, or your friends’ kids, or just the future of humanity, the future of American citizens.” Simply put, if you are able to vote, you should take the opportunity! Just think, the outcome of the upcoming presidential election could impact your life as a young adult. Elected officials (both as presidents and as congress members) have the ability to influence student loans, tuition costs, minimum wage, health insurance, and the economy. College voters should do their research and cast their ballot in favor of the candidate who will create the future that they want to live in.
Kuttler also explains that the statement “my vote doesn’t matter” isn’t as true as it may seem. Take the 2018 Kansas gubernatorial primary for example. In the Fall of 2018, two politicians, Kris Kobach and Jeff Colyer, were locked in a tight race for the republican party’s nomination for governor. According to NPR’s Jessica Taylor, after hours of counting ballots, Kobach was only winning by 345 ballots, and Colyer decided to concede. 345 ballots. In the context of a state-wide election, that margin is razor thin. In fact, with enrollment numbers of nearly 800 students at the time, the McPherson College campus could have easily flipped the results.
Clearly, student voters can make a substantial impact. As we near the election in November, make sure that you are registered to vote! Most states require voters to register by early October, so now is a perfect time to begin to explore the process. Your vote matters. Vote in local elections. Vote in national elections. Vote for your future. Vote.
