Parents, help the first-time voters in your family — and teach little kids about voting, too

Photo above by Element5 Digital on Unsplash. 

As a teenager and first-time voter, I’m excited to be able to have my voice heard in this election. For many young people, including myself, it’s extremely important. We have opinions about politics. And we are the future, so naturally we want to play a role in the outcome of that future. Voting is also a civic duty. In the U.S., the first step of affecting the future of our nation is being able to vote when we turn 18.

I started this process by registering to vote right after I turned 18 years old. I completed the application online through the Pennsylvania Online Application for Voting. I have friends and peers who didn’t register right after their 18th birthdays. But because of the high stakes of this election, they finally did. Registering online is easy, and many local organizations help people register to vote. One is PUMP, which is committed to open and free elections in Pennsylvania.

HOW PARENTS CAN HELP

My family was supportive and excited for me to become a voter. They knew it mattered to me. So they helped with the registration process and will take me to my polling place, so I know what to do. I think it’s extremely important for parents and other family members to encourage and support the young people in their lives to vote. Parents and family members can help by informing young people how to register and explaining the importance of voting. As a young person, it can seem overwhelming to be a part of such a big decision like choosing who the next President of the United States should be. But it can be exhilarating.

This election more than any other seems extra important to me. In many ways, our country and the world are in a period of transformation. Technology and new ideas can have more impact than ever before. That can seem scary, but change and adaptation is good. That’s the only way people — and countries — become better. We are also in a period of time where women’s reproductive rights are being challenged in some states. Many voters are alarmed by these policies and the next president will likely have an impact on them.

The winner of this election will be our leader during a new chapter in our country’s history that may be more important than any other. The decisions made by the next president will affect today’s teens when we’re in college. If the candidate who wins the election is elected to a second term, then their decisions will affect us when we try to find careers and homes. That’s why it’s important for teens to care and go out to the polls and vote.

WHY IT MATTERS FOR ALL OF US
I disagree with those who think that the person in the White House really doesn’t affect us. The decisions the president makes can and will affect you long after they are out of office. Many presidents before our current president Joe Biden made policies and decisions that are still impacting us today. For example, the Affordable Care Act was passed in 2010. There have been two presidents in Washington after President Obama helped shape that legislation and the Affordable Care Act is still a policy today.

Today’s parents probably remember the first presidential election in which they voted. The president that won may still have policies in place today.

There are many issues that young voters care about. As a college student, I have political discussions with my peers exploring some of the same issues that many Americans find important. Many voters worry about our economy. Many peers of mine are concerned how they will pay their tuition. We also question how our universities will be able to pay their bills without putting those costs on us.

As American citizens, we have the opportunity to have an impact on the future. We may not be able to speak to Congress or write our own bills, but we can vote for the people who do. No matter your age, please go out to the polls on Nov. 5. Parents should go with their children to guide them as they vote for the first time. Parents can even bring young children who can’t vote just yet, so they can become aware of the process and get excited for when they have the opportunity to vote. Use this opportunity to have your voice heard.