By Jesse Espinoza

Sometimes it may feel that we don’t have a voice, that we don’t have a say in anything that happens in government. Voting itself grants the person who is voting a small say on what the government does.

There are many benefits from voting. People get to choose who they want in power, it empowers the community and the people in it, it might make someone more interested in politics.

Having the ability to choose who you want in power is simply amazing. People receive a variety of options when choosing who they would like to be in charge of the country. They’ll be able to choose the person they prefer. In most cases, the person they want to run the country is the person they believe has the best views in what the government should be doing. This will allow the people to actually have a small part in what the government does and doesn’t do.

Some people believe that voting doesn’t matter because the electoral college will always be the deciding factor. The electoral college are the one who decide who becomes president. This however does not mean we don’t have a say. The electoral college simply goes in favor for the candidate the state voted for the most.

Voting also allows people to have a sense of power. A good example of this would be if someone’s candidate actually went into office. The person who voted for him/her will feel empowered due to them having a small part in who went into office.

Studies show that voting is linked to staying connected with social affairs. This can be seen in the article Benefits of voting, which states, “Compared to non-voters, voters are more likely to volunteer, contact their elected officials, and stay informed about local affairs.

Studies also show that voting has many benefits on personal health. Voting is connected with higher self reported health, and stronger social ties. A vote for your favorite candidate might also help improve personal health.

We asked David what he thought about voting.

“Voting allows us to have our voices heard. That’s how people have their voices heard in a democratic society.” 

Would you ever not vote?

“No, because if things don’t go well with the government then you can’t complain because you didn’t vote.”

Are you going to vote on the upcoming election?

“Yes, I hope to vote on the democratic side of things because my views more closely resemble that of the democratic party.”

Overall people should vote because it will benefit them in more ways they could have ever imagined.