From a teen's perspective: Voting

I turn 18 in less than a month. Stereotypically, 17-year-olds wait for their birthday in anticipation of being able to buy a lottery ticket, signing their own waivers, skydiving, or just being an adult, legally. I have a different anticipation:  I can’t wait to vote. 

Since I was young, my parents have taken me to the voting booths during presidential and midterm elections. I remember sitting on my dad’s lap watching the 2012 election coverage. After going to vote with them for the 2016 election, I remember getting donuts and eating them on the bus on the way to school. Needless to say, voting and elections have been a big part of life for a long time. 

I’m not the only almost 18-year-old who can’t wait to vote. Last year, one of my friends’ 18th birthday was November 7, three days after the presidential election. He was devastated. The concept of having our say in laws that are being made about us is very appealing to my generation. We need to have a say, and you can feel very helpless without it. 

For all of you who can vote, please do. Your vote and voice matters.Davidson Local is covering all of the municipal elections, so read up on our articles before you vote. Vote for yourself, but also vote for those of us who can’t. The United States and North Carolina both have a long way to go in enfranchisement, and we definitely won’t get it before these upcoming elections. Thomasville, Wallburg, Midway and Denton’s  elections are in November, and Lexington’s election is in March. Please make sure that you’re registered and are educating yourself about candidates. Your vote is your voice. 

To the minors who can’t vote yet, I feel your struggle. I promise you that your voice still matters even though you can’t vote. Speak on what you believe in. We can’t vote for who is in office, but we can tell them what we think. You can get registered to vote as early as your 16th birthday. Get registered. Get your family registered. Educate yourself, and educate those around you. Our time to vote will come, but until then we need to work to make sure that our voices are heard in different ways.