NOTE: This article was written prior to the presidential election.
Many youth believe politics and voting aren’t important, which is far from the truth since elections ultimately control what happens to citizens and their families. Politics refer to the way a country is run by its government. This includes voting, as well.
According to the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement, in the 2022 midterm elections, 19.9% of young voters in Missouri (ages 18-29) turned out to cast a ballot. Clearly there’s room for growth when it comes to being active in politics and voting.
Voting is a way to increase participation in society. It offers an opportunity for people to capitalize on the small amount of power each person has the ability to use. Through voting, citizens can be active participants in the political process.
Erik Woods, a University Academy senior, said, “It affects all of us. Politics are the distribution of power, wealth and resources. If you aren’t participating, you’re basically losing the bit of control you have in America, and you won’t know what is going on. Things could be changing, the world could be changing, and you won’t know.”
There are a variety of news outlets, newspapers, radio stations, podcasts and other forms of technology that spread information about the world and help to inform voters. But all media contains bias, so how do you find objective and reliable information?
Mr. Dustin Havens, the UA government teacher, said “This might be the single greatest value of education. If you know a lot of things about a lot of things, and you know how to acquire more information and how to differentiate between good information and bad, then you have the skill set required to critically consume news.”
There is bias all over the media, and one way the media can try to skew people’s minds is by coloring a picture that will seem true but may have another side of the story. Looking out for bias and cautiously searching for information is the key to getting real news.
“Another thing I will say is that it is very important that you know your own mind and your own biases so that you can recognize when you are allowing yourself to be manipulated. It happens to everyone, but it’s very important to be on the lookout for your own confirmation bias,” Mr. Havens said.
This next election coming up in the United States is the presidential election on Tuesday, Nov. 5. The Republican presidential candidate is former President Donald Trump, with JD Vance as his vice president. Candidate. The Democratic presidential candidate is Vice President Kamala Harris, whose running mate is Tim Walz.
Any 18-year-old can register to vote on the Missouri Secretary of State’s website. Basic information will be required, including a permanent resident address. The registration process usually takes up to two weeks, and then Missouri Secretary of State will send a letter with the address of the person’s assigned polling location. A nonexpired ID or driver’s license is needed in order to vote.
UA’s Class of 2025 has celebrated a lot of birthdays over the past few months, and many of the seniors are turning the age to vote. Fifteen UA seniors were eligible to vote on Nov. 5 if they registered to vote by Oct. 9.
To all voters and future voters, remember that every vote counts—including yours.
