By Ellie Brahe
I probably won't vote as "does it really matter who is elected" and politics is not that important to me. In this country we have the right to decide whether to cast our vote or not. The number of eligible people who usually vote for president hovers between 50-60% . Nonvoters can affect the outcome of an election. In the 2016 election, almost 100 million Americans did not vote which was more than the number of votes that any individual candidate received!
Less trusting of the government or the system is "rigged" are other excuses to not vote. Oregon, California, West Virginia, Vermont and Connecticut have automatic voter registration which they feel would increase voter turnout. Others feel that taking time to register to vote determines the likelihood that you will vote.
Having Election Day as a national holiday is a suggestion to make it more convenient for working people to vote. If it were a holiday, some workers would not have a day off due to the necessity of their jobs (healthcare and first responders). Thirty-three states offer early voting dates. Three states have "all mail" voting (Washington, Oregon, and Colorado). Mail-in ballots for these states are convenient but have a higher rejection rate than votes cast in person. When one votes in person, he can check with officials as to proper protocols. Mail-in may lack a voter's signature or postmark date and be rejected.
Every decade, the census allows states to redistrict due to population changes and better representation. Redistricting becomes political as the opposing party feels the districts were "gerrymandered" in favor of a specific group. Democrats are more likely to live in highly populated urban areas and Republicans in less dense populated areas. Drawing the boundaries of a district can be difficult. Another solution would be "multimember districts". If a state has 7 representatives to the House, then everyone in the state would vote. The top seven candidates would then represent the state. In some cases, the larger populated party in that state might always win all 7 candidates.
Martin Luther King said: "Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.” Voting is an opportunity for change, a decision for the quality of life for our family, and a voice as to how our tax dollars are spent. No more excuses, get out and vote.