Graphic by Cameron Adams
Matthew Adams
Managing Editor
Whether it is the president, senator, or even class president position, all of these positions cannot be filled unless we vote. It is time for us to realize that voting holds significant power for a wide variety of reasons, mainly because it determines who makes the laws we all have to abide by.
As a fellow voter, I vote so that I can pick the right people to make the proper decisions and to effectuate a change for the better.
I have heard some of my peers say that their vote does not matter. I wholeheartedly disagree. I also believe that if every person who says their vote does not count actually voted, we wouldn’t have to deal with the likes of Donald Trump.
In the last election for governor in Mississippi, Brandon Presley lost the election by a mere 4 percent. The state of Mississippi was that close to kicking Gov. Tate Reeves out of office. Many of Reeves’ stances do not align with what I believe so I was very disappointed. I couldn’t help but think that if every person in Mississippi that also do not agree with Reeves and did not vote would have, Mississippi would have a new governor.
Even though the person I felt was the best fit for Mississippi lost, my vote had the potential to make a change in the whole state of Mississippi and that means something.
When many of my peers think of voting, they only focus on the presidential election. What they need to understand is that voting for members of congress, the mayor and even city council members are just as important.
These are people who can make a change within your community and state. These are the people who can fix the potholes we have to navigate around in the city of Jackson. These are the people who determine funds for fixing the water issues in Jackson. These are the people who appropriate funds to our dear old college home. Remember this when you say your vote doesn’t count.
While voter suppression is a pressing issue that many minority communities of color combat, we have to take accountability for suppressing our own voices by not voting.
Do you think the members of congress who support conservative beliefs will create bills aimed at preventing voter suppression?
I feel as if people don’t vote for the basic reason that they aren’t educating themselves on the issues that affect the community. If more people educated themselves about the issues that were going on there would be more of an initiative taken to change those issues by voting.
In America, even though some laws may not work in certain communities’ favor, I feel as if you have to keep trying until you get that law changed. Not voting equals nothing changing.
In life, there will be some uphill battles and everything is not going to just go your way or be easy. I feel that anything worth having is worth fighting for.
Did we forget the entire Civil Rights Movement? Was it easy for those activists that made it possible for us to vote, sit anywhere we want to on a bus, go to any school we want to and so much more?
When things do not go your way, that doesn’t mean that you just stop voting or don’t vote at all.
Now if you just don’t care to vote and don’t care about the things that are going on in your community, then you are entitled to that choice.
In an article by Global Citizen, it said that 7 percent of citizens who don’t support either candidate and are registered as independent tend to be less politically engaged.
Imagine if that 7 percent was politically engaged, there would a level of change in a majority of the communities.
At the end of the day everyone should vote, but as African-Americans, too many people sacrificed and died for us to obtain this right so for some people to not vote is preposterous.
Remember, voting is one of the most practical ways to make a change. All you have to do is put in the time and effort to educate yourself and go to the polls.
But if you choose not to vote, I need you to choose not to complain as well. Just be quiet because you silenced yourself when you did not go to the polls.
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