As the United States is in the midst of the most confusing election of all time, an important question is raised: Should I even bother to vote?

The short answer is yes. It is our civic duty, as Americans, to vote. Whether we live in Texas, California or Florida, our vote always counts because it upholds our Constitutional right to protest and maintain the integrity of our government.

In 2008, 62.8% of citizens voted in the election, a rate that fell to 57.5% in 2012 (bipartisanpolicy.org), and this number is only expected to decrease even more in this upcoming election, but why?

This election has seen more personal attacks, scandals, and Internet conflicts than any other election in US history. The fact of the matter is, people are not too hot on either candidate.  Rather than picking between two capable candidates, this election seems more about selecting the lesser of two evils. To exaggerate this point, a poll showed that 64% of Trump supporters are voting for the Republican candidate because of their hatred for Clinton (redstate.com).  No election in American history has ever been so reliant on hatred of one of the candidates.

For this reason, voter morale is low. Many Americans hate both candidates so much that they do not even want to pick one. This mindset is understandable, but it only takes away from our ability, as citizens, to speak out about our government.  However, even in the time since the candidates have been decided, unrest amongst voters has grown.

In the third and final presidential debate, Republican nominee Donald Trump stated that the election is “rigged” and refused to answer whether or not he would accept the results if he were to lose.  This claim, based on speculation, has sparked questions of whether our democratic system can be trusted.

While the American government has been accused of (and even guilty of) corruption in the past, this election has exhibited no factual proof that hints at a rigged democratic system. It is important that American citizens perform our own research and find the most fitting candidate for our political views.  The system is not rigged, but it can be broken if voters do not take advantage of it.

Neither fear of a rigged system nor a hatred for the candidates should discourage any Americans from voting. As we approach one of the most important elections in our lifetime, it is vital that we pick a candidate that we see fit, and fulfill our civic duty, regardless of whether we side with the Democratic or Republican Party.

Editorial Board Vote:

Agree – 5

Disagree -2