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Claudia De la Cruz

Kamala Harris

Chase R. Oliver

Jill E. Stein

Donald Trump

Cornel R. West

Vote

Every Election Day, patriotic “I Voted” stickers are plastered on shirts, posted on social media, and serve as a badge of honor for Americans everywhere. But why? What’s so important about voting, and why are people so proud to do it?

“I believe that it is so important for people to vote because it is the cornerstone of democracy,” Stafford Commonwealth Governor’s School history teacher, Jeff Rine, advocates. “Regardless of the systems put in place, such as the Electoral College, people still need to participate, people still need to feel as if their voice matters, because if people stop voting it could lead to a decay in the system.”

Every vote matters. No matter who you’re voting for or what policies you endorse, your input– even as insignificant as you would think it would be — contributes to a lasting impact on our country.

“It’s your first amendment right, your freedom of speech. It’s your opportunity to have a say in who is leading our country. You’re getting the opportunity to select who will be making the decisions moving forward, and the way you want the country to go,” Stafford High Government teacher, Michael Miller explains.

But voting isn’t only just about getting a politician into office. It’s their policies and their plan to drive the country in the direction they think is best. The politicians are simply just a face to the name of a party and its morals. What is more important is how their decisions are going to affect the country.

“It’s more important to look at platforms and what they [politicians] would like to do, rather than focus on the media attention,” AP Government teacher, Amy Hamm says.

“Because if you look at their platforms you can see how relatively similar they are, and how they execute things in different ways. So it’s kind of like looking at the same coin, but two sides,” she adds.

Students have the opportunity to take the U.S. Government classes in school in order to develop an understanding of how our system is set up. Some students take an AP Government class to get college credit, while others take them simply because it’s required.

“One of the first things I tell my seniors when they come in, is that question, ‘Why do teenagers tend not to care about this?’ And some of them will realize it’s because we don’t understand, and if you don’t understand what they’re talking about, it’s easy to say ‘well I don’t want to have any part of that because I don’t get it’,” Miller shared.

When less than half of an age group doesn’t vote, it severely limits the amount of voice in the election. According to the US Census Bureau, in the 2020 Presidential election 48% of 18-24 year olds took their opportunity to vote. Though it is still roughly half of the demographic, it’s still the lowest percentage of voters throughout all the age groups. As people grow older they start to care more about politics.

“When you look at the voter turnout, that 18 to 25 year group has the lowest voter turnout until you get to people almost in their eighties,” Miller added.

Students are well aware of the importance of voting. They understand it’s how our country runs, and how it determines our future president. They know it’s a common thing – their favorite celebrities go to enforce specific candidates and post resources on where to vote. 

Nathan Sparr, a Stafford High School senior, expresses his opinion on voting and why he used his right to vote in this election. “Every vote counts, even if you’re young because it goes to the person you want.”

“We can make an impact on our state and our future,” senior Olivia Brann added. 

Politics are everywhere, between businesses and neighborhoods. Politics have an influence on everyday life even when it’s impossible to see. But why should it matter to students? 

“I think it’s important for students to pay attention to government because it’s affecting them even when they don’t realize. Especially when it comes down to education] law and mandates, and things that we have to do in school,” Hamm claims. 

Not only does politics influence the future of education, but it simply affects aspects of everyday life.

“These things affect people on a personal level. Decisions made by our government about taxation and social programs have real life implications on people’s lives,” Rine says.

“Everything is political, even when you don’t realize it. There is some angle that politics and the government impacts what you’re doing,” Stafford Government teacher, Joseph Sheehy says.  “Also, you have to pay taxes so you might as well get a say in how those are spent,” he adds. 

The decisions of voters and the public heavily influence the outcome of every election. Depending on which party wins, it’s determined by the public’s voice and their opinions.