Right now America is in the thick of a political rebirth; the current President is tying up loose ends and making his final reforms, while some fresh faces are squaring off to take his place as the leader of the free world. The importance of who this person is cannot be overstated. Candidates on both ends of the political spectrum are campaigning for votes in some of the most important election states in the country, North Carolina included.     

Forming an educated opinion on each of the candidates and their ideas for policy is essential, especially the newest generation of voters that are able to cast their ballots for the first time in the 2016 election.

For many high school seniors, voting in the upcoming election is a major milestone. Most, if not all, people remember the candidate they voted for the first time they were eligible to take part in the voting process, and with this in mind, selecting a candidate becomes a much more serious practice.

It is extraordinarily important to stay updated and educated on topics that matter most in order to have the most impact on your rights as a citizen and to carefully listen to each candidate’s policy on those issues. Each candidate brings something different to the table, and each has a different agenda. It is a favorable idea to have a strong individual stance, so that it is easier to correlate with one of the established parties, the Republican party or the GOP, and the Democratic party.

On March 10, Hillary Clinton, a candidate from the Democratic party, held a rally in Durham that I was lucky enough to attend. The experience of actually attending an established political event was one I will never forget. Being able to hear Secretary Clinton speak in person, and to really absorb her message was an extremely helpful experience to further form my own political opinion. Taking part in a political rally as an attendee or even as a volunteer is an amazing opportunity to truly become immersed in a part of history, and I am immensely grateful to have had that experience; I encourage it for anyone, especially first time voters.

If you are able to vote in the upcoming election, there is no reason to not seize the opportunity. According to Al-Jazeera America–can you find a more reliable source?, only 42 percent of Americans voted in the midterm elections of 2014, which is the lowest level of voter turnout since 1978.Voting is a mandatory part of politics; politics decide what our country will resemble in the future, for us and for future generations. Not voting for a candidate at all is like saying that you don’t really care about the future of America and that you are impartial to the effects that an unequipped leader can cause to society.

There are many ways to become more involved in politics, one of which is as simple as going out and voting. To become an educated voter, forming a personal stance is a necessity. Crafting an opinion can be done by watching the news and keeping up with political figures on social media, where they are constantly posting about their agendas and their ideals. If going to an event or rally is an option, it is a fantastic opportunity to further your own individual opinions.

By educating yourself on the candidates and by forming a stance, you are developing into a pivotal part of society. According to the US Census Bureau, voters between the ages of 18 and 24 have voted in consistently lower numbers than all other eligible age groups since 1962. Your vote matters because performing your civic duty to America and casting a ballot is one of the most influential things you can do as a citizen. So go out and vote, because your opinion can change the future of our country.