Are You Registered to Vote?

  The presidential race of 2016 has the potential to become one of the most contentious, outrageous American elections in recent memory, if not of all time. In Iowa, Ted Cruz took first place Monday night over a weaker-than-expected turnout for Donald Trump and a stronger-than-expected showing for Marco Rubio. Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders virtually tied.

  In such a close race, especially in the huge primary field, every vote counts. Young people, especially, have an important voice in this process because of their historically disinterested reputation. Millennials, 43% of whom prefer Sanders, according to a new poll, have already propelled him to the forefront of the nation’s politics just by showing up to his rallies. Your support is critically important to the potential nominees of either party and any ideology.

  It’s a shame, then, that many students at the high school who will be old enough to vote in Pennsylvania’s upcoming primary aren’t even registered to vote.

  This year, it’s understandable that some people would want to stop following politics altogether. At one point, the Republican field had 17 candidates and, for now, still has 9 people vying for the party’s nomination. Democrats have the opposite problem this year, forced to choose between two polarized candidates who tied in Iowa and who represent different factions of liberals.

  To many, the thought of a Sanders/Trump ticket (or a Sanders/Cruz ticket, for that matter), personifying the id of each party, makes moving to Canada seem like the best option.

  A meager amount of Americans vote in elections, with even fewer people showing up to midterm elections than presidential ones. So many people take for granted the right that people around the world still die to use.

  While it might seem more appealing to hide from the race and never look back, I urge you to at least register to vote at the most important time of the next four years. You have the powerful, essential ability to shape the country according to your own views, no matter where you land on the political compass. The most powerful weapon you have today is a vote.

  If a candidate’s values speak to you, exercise your guaranteed right, and go vote for them this April. If there is someone in your own party that you can’t stand, show up, and vote for someone else. We’re lucky that we don’t have to caucus in our primaries. All we have to do is show up and cast a vote, a painless process that takes maybe ten minutes at the most.

  The political process can feel alienating at times, sure, and it really is easier to avoid the election altogether. I challenge you, though, to exercise your right to vote. Participation in elections was an essential part of the America described in the Constitution and shirking this responsibility weakens the entire country. Let your voice be heard. You can make a difference.

  To find your party affiliation, try Pew Research Center’s Political Typology Quiz. To identify a candidate that has the same views as you, I Side With will point you in the right direction. Citizens of Pennsylvania can now register online here.

  Polls open in Pennsylvania on April 26.