With the 2024 election looming closer, you may think that in the grand scheme of things, your single vote may not matter. Yet it is vital to understand the importance of knowing your own voice.

It is essential in our society to use our votes and voices to bring change to our country. It is more and more often in the past few elections that you hear people claim that they’re not even going to vote. But if you have the right and the privilege to use your voice, why would you not?

If enough people are under the belief that their voice doesn’t matter, it goes from one to two, to an entire group of people who aren’t represented in our government because each of them thinks that they’re not important. Voting is inherently a privilege many don’t have, a privilege many of our forefathers fought just to attain. Throwing your vote away is an insult to all who don’t have that privilege; our ancestors sacrificed their livelihood to make ours better today, so why would you throw all their work away?

If you don’t believe the state of our country affects you, think about the people you care about and how their lives could be changed entirely based on your slip at the ballots. Expand the scope of your world not only to your personal bubble, but the families and livelihoods of the people around you. Your voice isn’t just an expression of your own experiences, but it can be on behalf of those you hold dear.

In a time of political turmoil, we must stay educated on the state of our country. With the ever-growing influence of social media on today’s youth, it makes it easier to make up your mind on something based on a 30-second clip you see on the internet. When you get ready to check the box of the person you want to put in power, take proper action to thoroughly inform yourself of your choice. Our algorithms are programmed to trap us in echo chambers of our own opinions; so take a step out of your comfort zone and ensure you’ve heard the opinions of all before forming your own.

Knowing your own voice is understanding that while you might just be one person in a nation of millions, every vote adds up and is another step toward our future. The world you vote for now will become the world you live in in the future. Do your due diligence and stay up to date on the policies of each candidate and vote in your local elections if you can. Every vote matters.