How you can get involved In this year’s elections
Perhaps the most notable privilege that can be restricted based on age is voting. Most people start to develop political opinions separately from their parents in high school, and often feel unable to put those opinions into practice without the ability to vote.
So, with the midterm elections fast approaching, what can we do to make a change in the world?
- Get Informed
The most basic way to be politically involved is to be aware of what’s going on in the world. Americans are notoriously uninformed about current events, so keeping up with the news is especially crucial here.
Urbana High School junior Aaron Lyubansky, known for his encyclopedic knowledge of US politics, says, “One of the first steps you can take is to be aware of what’s going on. An easy way [to make sure you’re informed] is through news sources that send daily updates on what’s happening in the world.”
- The Bottom Line
It’s just the ugly truth: political organizations need money to operate. Running ads, paying staff, keeping the lights on – all of it requires funding. And with the recent movement against dark money from many candidates, politicians have come to rely more and more on small, individual donations.
- Take To The Streets
Funding is a big deal, but you can’t win an election just by throwing money at it. Candidates need people on the ground to collect data, register voters, and build awareness. And being involved in these organizations is easier than you might think.
According to Lyubansky, “They want your help. They will work around your schedule so you can do things after school or on weekends.”
- Actually Vote (If you can)
In the end, though, any political race will always come down to who gets more votes. But for the seniors who are able to vote, the task can seem daunting.
To UHS senior Kelsi Hamilton, the process of registering to vote was confusing. This complaint is echoed by many new voters across the country, despite the existence of online resources, such as the Illinois online voter registration program: https://ova.elections.il.gov/Step0.aspx.
Even so, young voters have reported an extreme spike in enthusiasm this election season compared to other years. Likewise, Hamilton considers voting her responsibility: “[I’m] trying to do my part to make things better overall, to benefit people who might not have a voice.”
And that responsibility to fight for those unable to protect themselves falls on all of us. This election season, we all need to ask ourselves what we can do to make our country the best it can be.
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