It was sad to say the least whenever anyone said that they were not going to vote. Typically, they said that their votes didn’t count or that they didn’t approve of Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton. So many new voters this year refused to vote for those reasons and more, the most infuriating being a pure lack of motivation to go out and make their voice heard. Instead, many just sat back and complained about why Trump is the worst or how Clinton should be in prison. No matter which side they’re on, red or blue, it’s dire that students go out to vote for somebody, anybody they think would be good for President, among other positions in government.
As for my case, I went to vote early with my father one non-eventful afternoon. Our first choice to go and vote was at the local Cinco Ranch Branch Library. Even as we entered the parking lot, there were people going en mass to vote, others loitered in front of a sign that read “No demonstrations beyond this point” with signs that either gave praise to either Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton. As we made our way past into the library, we quickly noticed a well contained, well hidden serpentine line that made us swiftly leave due to the fear of standing in line for over an hour.
After a short lived car ride, we ended up at Tompkins High School, another one of the early voting locations, to find a short, quick line. I was filled with both trepidation and excitement as I fast approached the voting booth, waiting for my turn soon to come. Whilst waiting, I got out my driver’s license and turned off my phone at the instruction of several signs scattered in the little hallway in which the early voters stood in line. When it came to be my turn, I passed by a table where they asked to see my voter registration card and my license. After handing them both, they asked me to sign a small sheet of paper with my name. I did so, still filled with a growing sense of nervousness. A man then directed me to my voting booth, where I would vote for not only the President of the United States, but for other positions on the House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate as well. Although voters have to option to vote straight ticket, meaning that they can vote either all Democrat or all Republican, I decided to go through each position and vote on each individual candidate for each position.
Admittedly, I didn’t know all their names or what they stood for, but it is definitely better to at least recognize the name of the person you voted for in office, rather than just blindly voting for your party. The whole process took about 10 minutes, and I voted for the candidates I thought were best for their roles. My father and I then left to go eat out at a restaurant to celebrate our right to vote and the great democracy we live in.
Voting wasn’t as scary or as hectic as the news would had have you believe. Neither my father nor I saw any violence, verbal or physical, occur when we went to go vote early. People from all walks of life came to vote in this historic election, and overall I had a sense of pride after the fact. Voting made me be proud to be in a democratic government with the ability to vote for whoever I think is best fitted to. lead this country and to be able to have my voice heard by the powers that be. It was a good day to be an American.