What do young people have to say about faith, values, and public life? And how will their opinions impact the 2012 election? These questions were the focal point of our conversations at the Millennial Values Symposium, and while the conversations surrounding them were fascinating, these questions led me to another: Why does the 2012 election matter to me?
As a younger millennial, this will be my first general election, and I have been excited about voting since the ’08 election. My interest in the social sciences seems to have been an innate characteristic for some time, but throughout our conversations at the symposium, I wondered about other like-minded millennials, who answered the survey saying that their parents took them to the polls as a kid. I don’t have that memory, but I can recall conversations my parents had over the dinner table, discussing local politics here in America and back home in Pakistan. As a self-proclaimed political junkie, my excitement for voting stems from knowing that my vote has an impact on policy and history, and that raises the stakes for my participation.
When discussing the election with my peers, many of our exchanges involve deliberating why voting would be worthwhile in Texas, a red state that shows no sign of turning blue anytime soon. Disgruntled and disenchanted with the political system, some of my friends see no point in voting in Texas if they are Democrats. Though I understand their grievances, I always answer this point of contention with the words of Alex Morse, the Millennial mayor of Holyoke, Massachusetts. Morse said that in order to be counted, in order to be part of the political system, every one should vote. He added that voting records matter because they force politicians to take voters into consideration. Because no politician would bother block walking to non-voters’ homes to hear their thoughts and considerations, Morse said that once we have a voting record, we force politicians to consider us.
So why does the 2012 election matter to me? Because even though I am a Democrat in a red state, I know that my participation will help spots of blue in Texas grow. I know that once I vote, I have fulfilled my civic duty, and more importantly, that my voice has been heard.
