One of an American citizen’s most important civic duties is to vote. The midterm elections on Tue. Nov. 6 will heavily influence whether Democrats will gain power in Congress or if Republicans will remain.. Those who choose not to vote fail to comprehend what privileges stand before them.

This lack of civic duty can have haunting effects. Take the controversy over abortion, for example. If pro-life voters take a majority because others have not voted, we would deny a woman the right to her own body, simply because we didn’t go out and vote.

In other words, if the voting results remain one-sided due to a lack of participation, then the democratic system has failed. Senior Tyler Balsbaugh summarizes why he believes voting categorizes as a necessity in America.  

“That’s how our Republic works,” Balsbaugh said. “It needs the voice of the people— for the consent of the governed.”

Senior Lisley Hernandez agrees.

“It’s how we get our voice out there. It’s our way to show our opinions and actually get what we want instead of sitting back and watching it,” Hernandez said.

Voting symbolizes the voice of the people, a consensus of who they want in power. The shared knowledge among the majority, in theory, would bring the best candidate to power and run the government the way the people would hope for.

The political party won’t hold power if the people don’t elect them into Congress, House of Representatives, Senators, or Office.

“Even one vote is significant,” senior Karen Martinez said. “It’s just going to be important because they realize how much that little vote can mean.”

The effects and memories of past elections remain ingrained in the minds of every American generation, so every election proves itself immensely important for the future of our nation’s fate.

“Speak out for those who don’t have a voice,”  Hernandez said.