Undoubtedly, this election will bring massive change for us as students, as a society, and as a country. But there is something deeper going on rather than simply the tangible platforms.

Through just the metric of popular vote, who do you think won 2016?
The answer is no one. The clear majority chose not to vote with 29.9%, followed by Hillary Clinton’s 19.8% and Donald Trump’s 19.5%.

28.6% of the population was ineligible to vote.

2020 is the absolute crucial time to come to terms with what one believes, and even more importantly, why. No matter who one supports, a clear moral framework that points to that belief is a necessity.

Simply trying to be a contrarian is not a valid point. Nor is believing something solely because your family does. We should take the advice of elders seriously as they have experienced so much more. But at the end of the day, we are individuals that need to take our own actions.

Asking the hard questions about personal philosophy is crucial to engaging in legitimate debate. It is certainly not easy to discuss or argue about politics and can create all sorts of cognitive dissonance with past beliefs. However, if more people start thinking critically, then as a society, we will bring more focus to our everyday lives

Simply not engaging in voting is squandering a gift that people have fought for. Sitting in the middle without a legitimate position and simply saying, “I see both sides of the argument” is not really saying anything at all.
That is not to say do not vote third party. I am speaking about people who lack the strength to take a stance on an issue.

Individuals must form an opinion about what is being debated and act accordingly. Even more insidiously, there are people that simply do not care. If one does not care, they need to take a step back and evaluate what they truly want to see out of life.

Does one believe in the pursuit of life, liberty, and property, without impeding others? Or does one believe in the pursuit of life, liberty and property, with assistance because there are those who did not have the same advantages as the person next to them?

Thinking of values and ethics like these will clearly shape one’s political identity.

The time has come, and a decision must be made. Failing to vote is not a protest, it is supporting the outcome no matter what.

I believe voter turnout will be much stronger in 2020 than 2016, because I hope more people take an introspective look at their values.

Make a plan to vote in person or by mail, and make sure your ballot is read on Tuesday, Nov. 3.

If all else fails and you still cannot decide who to mark on the ballot, ask yourself, “What future do you want to see?”