Get Out and Vote!

In the United States, citizens have the right and responsibility to vote. Voting citizens are one of the key elements to a representative government and voting is one of the ways that citizens may directly affect the government. While politics may sometimes seem too convoluted to bother with, your voice really does count. Many people believe that voting is the most important right we have as citizens, because it gives us a voice in how our government works. Don't forget that for many of us, the right to vote has come only with long, hard struggle. Make the most of it.

The first step to the voting process is, of course, registering to vote. To register to vote in this country, you must be 18, and you must be a United States citizen. Voter registration is done on a state level, which means that while the rules for registration are essentially the same, the process is often different. Each state has the right to bar their citizens from voting on state or municipal issues (usually on the basis of criminal record or mental competence), but the right to vote in national elections for President and Vice President is guaranteed to all citizens by the Constitution.

Rock the Vote, a non-partisan website devoted to encouraging young people to vote, is a good place to start when you're ready to register to vote. They have information on all the states' registration processes, and make it easy for you to get correctly registered in your state.

Elections offer the opportunity to cast your vote for different issues and candidates, on different levels of government. Federal elections determine federal issues, like who becomes the next president. These are decisions that affect the entire country.

State elections determine state issues, like who becomes the next governor, the speed limits on state highways and who represents particular districts in the state's senate. These decisions affect only the people who live in that state, and only citizens who live in that state (and are registered) are allowed to vote on them.

Municipal elections determine the issues for a given city or county. These elections affect a very local area (a county, a city or a township), and only the citizens who reside in that municipality are allowed to vote in those elections. These elections are held to select local government positions (including elections officials) and local tax and spending issues.To make the most of your vote, you should vote in all elections you are eligible for. After all, our government was created by the people and for the people, and only we the people can keep it running as it was intended. Make your voice be heard, get out and vote!